Bring Me To Life
by Connie Weasley
Summary: Scarlett Williams had always known about vampires. Being a supernatural being in a supernatural town was always going to be a problem. When a certain dark haired vampire crosses her path, will Scarlett's life ever be the same? Damon/OC Cautiously rated T, may change later on. Some bits changed, reviews always welcome!
1. Pilot

**Disclaimer:- The Vampire Diaries and anything related to it (sadly) does not belong to me. The only thing I own is Scarlett and the ideas for the story. Hope you like it.**

* * *

Scarlett Williams leaned against the counter in the kitchen of the Salvatore Boarding House as she stirred a cup of tea, idly watching a large black crow perched on a tree in the garden. It had been a long summer. She gazed out of the window as she thought of the car accident which had left her best friend, Elena Gilbert, an orphan. She could remember the glazed look on Elena's face at the funeral as she stood beside her younger brother Jeremy and her aunt Jenna.

The funeral had attracted practically all of Mystic Falls – the Gilbert's were a well loved family, as well as being descendents of the town's original Founders. Scarlett had stood quietly with her friends, Bonnie Bennett and Caroline Forbes, the three of them offering silent comfort to Elena in her hour of need. The service had reminded her of her own mother's funeral two years before, the event which had led to Scarlett selling her family home and moving in with Zach Salvatore, her mother's oldest friend.

Sighing softly to herself, Scarlett pulled her mind back to the present, picked up her mug and started walking through the large antique-shop of a house in the direction of her bedroom. It was still early, and she had to get ready for the first day of school. She was just about to climb the stairs when a noise in the front parlour made her turn, a frown marring her pale, heart-shaped face.

"Zach? Is that you?" she called. There was no reply. She walked into the parlour, placing her mug on a side table before stepping into the middle of the room. A door creaked from the direction of the kitchen, and Scarlett felt her heart begin to race. Unlike most of the town, she was well aware of the truth behind the legends of Mystic Falls. Glancing around the room, she quietly tiptoed towards the desk in the corner of the room. Zach kept a handgun loaded with wooden bullets in the top drawer in case of unwanted visitors.

The drawer was well oiled and made no sound as she slid it open. She carefully lifted the gun and took off the safety. Slowing her breathing, she reached out with her mind to try and find who, or what, had entered the house uninvited. She could sense Zach, his emotions calm and peaceful in sleep.

"I hope you're not planning to use that thing on me," a soft male voice muttered from near the front door. Scarlett's eyes flew towards the voice as she brought her arm up, preparing to fire. Her gaze landed on the intruder and she gasped in shock.

"Stefan! I wish you wouldn't sneak up on me." The vampire smiled softly at her, his hazel eyes full of mirth. He nodded his head towards the gun still pointed at his chest.

"Are you going to put that away?" Scarlett blinked, having completely forgotten that she was currently pointing a weapon at her godfather. She blushed as she placed the gun, safety catch on, back in the drawer, and she smiled sheepishly as he walked towards her.

"Sorry about that. I hear strange noises and I immediately think the worst." Stefan nodded in understanding, before pulling the slender teenager into a tight hug. Her smile widened as she returned the gesture.

"We didn't expect you back for a while," she murmured as he released her and stepped back. Stefan's visits to his home were usually few and far between – he had only visited twice since Scarlett was born.

"I've decided to stick around for a while. I'm tired of always being on the road. I want a normal life. Plus, I have to make sure that my favourite goddaughter is well taken care of." Scarlett rolled her dark blue eyes.

"I'm your only goddaughter." Stefan raised one eyebrow and smirked slightly.

"My point exactly." Scarlett chuckled quietly. She was incredibly fond of the vampire, having known him for most of her life. He visited infrequently while she was growing up, bringing stories and presents from his travels. For the last couple of months he had been staying at the Boarding House, catching up with his goddaughter and spending some time at his home. Scarlett frowned slightly as a thought entered her mind.

"What about Damon?" Stefan's face darkened. Scarlett had never met his elder brother, but everything she had heard about Damon Salvatore suggested that she didn't particularly want to.

"I haven't seen or heard from him for fifteen years," Stefan replied. "I doubt he'll come visiting in the near future." Scarlett nodded before glancing down at her watch – eight o'clock.

"When you say 'normal life,' I take it you mean a normal teenage life?" she queried. He nodded in reply. "Well then, we'd best get ready for school."

* * *

Scarlett could sense the heightened curiosity of her peers as she and Stefan walked from the parking lot to the registrar's office. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply through her nose, something her mum had taught her in order to prevent the headache that always followed being exposed to so many heightened emotions. A hand touched her back, and she looked up to see Stefan smiling gently down at her. She returned the gesture as she led him through the school corridors.

"Ms Jones?" The dark haired receptionist glanced up with an inquisitive smile on her face before her eyes landed on Stefan. Scarlett sighed as she felt the desire and curiosity radiating off the older woman. Apparently she was going to have to get used to this while Stefan was around.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, Ms Jones," Scarlett replied, dragging the woman's attention back to her. "This is my friend, Stefan Salvatore. He's transferring here and needs to pick up his class schedule."

"Of course, which school are you transferring from, Stefan?" Scarlett rolled her eyes at the woman before turning to her godfather.

"I'll wait for you outside," she murmured and he nodded in response before returning his attention to the receptionist. As she left the room, Scarlett saw Bonnie staring intently at the back of Stefan's head. She chuckled softly to herself, running a hand through her waist-length auburn hair as she made her way to her friend.

"Not you too," she joked. Bonnie just stared at her in disbelief. Scarlett waved a hand in front of her hazel eyes. "Hello? Earth to Bonnie, you in there Bonnie?" Caroline laughed as she heard Scarlett's teasing, joining the pair standing in the corridor.

"You know him?!" Bonnie finally managed to ask.

"Yeah, do you know him Scarlett? Cos if his face is as gorgeous as his back, I'm gonna need an introduction!" Caroline winked cheekily at the red head and walked away. Scarlett rolled her eyes behind Caroline's back.

"Yes, I know him. Now, onto important matters, where's Elena?"

"I'm sensing Seattle … and he plays the guitar," Bonnie said, completely ignoring Scarlett's attempt to change the topic of conversation. Scarlett glanced at her friend, her brow furrowed – Stefan had just been in Seattle. Just then a tall brunette walked up to the group, a wide smile on her face.

"You're really gonna run this whole 'psychic' thing into the ground, huh?" Elena asked. She stepped forward and hugged Scarlett, whispering in her ear, "Her Grams says that Bonnie's a witch."

"Pretty much. Now tell me, Scarlett, am I right?" Before she could answer, a disappointed look passed over Elena's face and she took off towards the men's bathroom, muttering, "I'll be right back." Scarlett watched her friend, her lips pressed in a grim line. She knew that Elena's little brother, Jeremy, was having problems dealing with his parent's deaths. Every time she walked past him, she was overtaken by a cloud of grief and pot smoke, but she didn't know what she could do to help.

"Please be hot," Bonnie whispered beside her. Scarlett raised one eye brow and smiled disbelievingly at her.

"Seriously?"

"What? There are like, no hot guys at this school anymore."

"Yes there are," Scarlett argued.

"Okay, name one that you would date." Bonnie had her there, and she smirked at her auburn haired friend before turning back to the guy in the office. Suddenly, he turned around and Bonnie's jaw dropped.

"All sorted?" Scarlett asked Stefan as he walked towards them.

"Yeah, I've just got a couple of things to sort out. See you in class?" Scarlett grinned widely before nodding her head in her friend's direction.

"This is Bonnie." Stefan smiled and nodded his head politely before walking away. Scarlett turned to start walking to class, but soon realised Bonnie was nowhere to be found. Looking down the hallway, she saw her friend following Stefan like a lost puppy. She also saw Caroline's face change as Stefan walked past her – she'd definitely be asking Scarlett for an introduction later. Scarlett rolled her eyes. It seemed to be becoming a habit.

As she caught up with Bonnie, she saw Elena leave the men's room and walk straight into Stefan. Scarlett grabbed Bonnie's arm and pulled her closer to the lockers.

"Let them bond," she whispered in her friend's ear. Bonnie smiled mischievously.

"Elena won't like you playing matchmaker," she warned. Scarlett's smile was, if possible, even more mischievous than Bonnie's, and her dark blue eyes twinkled with mirth.

"Elena doesn't have to know." The two girls watched as Elena and Stefan tried, unsuccessfully to get out of each other's way. He finally moved to the side and let her pass. As she neared her friends, Elena turned to look over her shoulder, to catch the new boy with the dark hazel eyes gazing after her.

"I didn't know you liked dancing in public so much, Elena," Scarlett teased. Elena blushed furiously and gently shoved her friend who was laughing with Bonnie.

"Let's just get to class …"

* * *

It was the last class of the day – history. Usually, Scarlett loved history, but when it was taught by someone like Mr Tanner, she felt completely justified in ignoring everything he said. Stefan walked in and took the empty seat next to her.

"Good day so far?" she asked him quietly.

"Very," he replied. "I'm sorry I haven't seen much of you, Scarlett." The girl shrugged one shoulder, brushing off his apology.

"We live in the same house, Stefan. I'm sure we'll be ripping each other's hair out before long." Stefan smiled just as Mr Tanner walked in to begin the class. About half way through, her phone buzzed in her pocket, alerting her to a text message. As sneakily as possible, she pulled out her phone.

_Bonnie:- Ur hot friend is totally checking out Elena ! ;) _Scarlett smiled and quickly sent her a message back.

_Scarlett:- She's checking him out too – WIN !_

* * *

Later that night, Scarlet was stood in the kitchen making dinner for her and Zach when Stefan walked in. He seemed tense and a deep frown marred his brow.

"There's rabbit in the fridge," she told him. "I thought you might be hungry." Stefan nodded brusquely and walked to the large appliance, pulling out a bottle of dark red liquid. If Scarlett were a normal girl, this would have freaked her out, but she'd known about the existence of vampires her whole life. Tara Williams was not one to keep secrets from her daughter. "Is everything okay?" she asked her godfather. Stefan perched on a bar stool, sipping blood from the bottle as he watched her cook. He sighed heavily.

"It's harder than I thought it would be," he replied. Scarlett nodded in understanding. She could sense his turmoil, his stress and agitation. Reaching up, she rubbed her temple.

"Still finding it hard to control your powers?" Stefan asked. Scarlett pondered the question before replying.

"Sometimes. Most of the time it's easy to shut everyone out, but if someone's emotions are particularly intense, then it's a bit harder." Stefan nodded as he digested her words. "And you being a vampire, with all of your emotions running on overdrive makes it a lot harder. But I'll get used to it," she finished before Stefan could feel too bad about it.

"I'm meeting Elena and the girls at the Grill later on. You should come." Stefan took another sip from the bottle before standing up.

"Maybe, I have a few things I want to take care of first," he replied. Scarlett smiled teasingly.

"Like pouring your heart out on a piece of paper?" she asked lightly. Stefan looked at her, his eyes questioning. "Don't worry, I haven't read any of your journals. Apparently it's a big thing for Founders to do. Mum even convinced me to start. Something about preparing future generations …" Scarlett trailed off, gazing out of the kitchen window. A hand on her shoulder brought her back to reality, and she turned to find Stefan looking down at her, his eyes sad and kind.

"Are you okay, Scarlett?" Scarlett thought hard about his question, a question so many people had asked her. Two years may seem like a long time to most people, but Scarlett still felt the loss of her mother every day. She had been a constant source of support, comfort and love, and to lose her so suddenly… Scarlett couldn't quite make herself get over it. She swallowed slightly before replying.

"I'm fine Stefan, thank you." He gazed into her eyes a few moments more, before gently placing a fatherly kiss on her forehead.

"Have fun this evening, Scarlett."

* * *

When Scarlett entered the Grill, she saw Matt and Bonnie sat together talking. Quickly getting a drink from the bar, she joined them just as Matt asked how Elena was doing.

"Her mum and dad died – how do you think? She's putting on a good face, but it's only been four months," Bonnie replied.

"Has she said anything about me?" Scarlett had just raised her glass to her lips, but immediately put it back down.

"Oh no, we are so not getting in the middle," she told him. "You pick up the phone and call her." Matt cleared his throat slightly before talking.

"I feel weird calling her, she broke up with me." Bonnie glanced and Scarlett and they shared a sympathetic look.

"Give it more time, Matt." As Scarlett nodded in agreement, the door to the Grill opened and Elena walked in, closely followed by Stefan. Matt and Bonnie turned to see what had caught their friend's attention, and before Scarlett could shut it out, she felt Matt's sadness burst into her mind. He shook his head slightly before looking back at Bonnie.

"More time, huh?" Scarlett could feel his pain as if it was her own, and she reached up to subtly rub her right temple. Matt stood and walked away from their table, towards Elena and Stefan.

"Well this evening just got awkward," murmured Bonnie, before glancing at Scarlett who was still pressing her fingers against her temple and frowning slightly. "You okay, Scarlett?"

"Huh?" Scarlett opened her eyes and focused on Bonnie who looked worried.

"Are you still getting those headaches? You should see a doctor about it." Scarlett shook her head slightly, causing the pain in her forehead to intensify.

"No, it's fine. My mum had them too. Sadly, they're genetic," she laughed faintly at her own joke, but could see that Bonnie was not amused. Looking over Bonnie's shoulder, she saw Elena and Stefan approaching, closely followed by Caroline.

"Mind if we join you?" Elena asked. Scarlett and Bonnie both smiled widely.

"Of course not, all my best friends together at last. I never thought this day would come," Scarlett said cheerfully, closing the walls of her mind to everything but her own emotions. Stefan chuckled at her words, and sat down between her and Elena whilst Caroline took the chair opposite.

"So, you were born in Mystic Falls?" Caroline immediately began the interrogation. Scarlett rolled her eyes at the blonde's persistence.

"Mhm, and moved while I was still young," Stefan replied, glancing over and Scarlett. She smiled at him, assuring him that she'd go along with whatever story he came up with.

"Parents?" Caroline continued. Stefan hesitated slightly before answering.

"My parents passed away." Significant looks were exchanged around the table, before Stefan's eyes finally settled on Elena. Scarlett took a slow sip of her drink, watching her friend's reaction.

"I'm sorry," she finally said. Stefan nodded, acknowledging her kind words. "Any siblings?"

"None that I talk to," he replied. "But Scarlett is pretty much my sister – we live with my uncle, Zach." All eyes turned to Scarlett and she smiled fondly at Stefan.

"Stefan and Zach really helped me out after …" She trailed off. Everyone around the table gave her sympathetic looks, except for Caroline. - she just looked confused.

"But Stefan wasn't here. How could he help you if he wasn't even in town?" Bonnie kicked her under the table for her insensitivity.

"We wrote to each other," Scarlett answered. Bonnie let out a long 'oh' of understanding.

"So that's who you write to all the time. I thought you must have had a long distance boyfriend who you were keeping secret." Scarlett's nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Eugh, no! Stefan's practically family." Everyone at the table laughed at her reaction, but Scarlett suddenly felt very uncomfortable. She had the strangest sense that someone was watching her. She glanced around the bar, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. In an attempt to shake off the feeling, she returned her attention to the conversation.

"So Stefan, if you're new then you don't know about the party tomorrow," Caroline said, her eyes alight as she gazed longingly at Stefan.

"It's a back to school thing at the Falls," Bonnie explained. Stefan nodded before looking at Elena.

"Are you going?" he asked her.

"Of course she is," Scarlett answered before Elena could open her mouth. Elena glanced at her best friend who just winked, before turning back to Stefan, a bashful grin on her face. Scarlett smiled, delighted to see her friend so happy, but she still couldn't rid herself of the feeling that someone was watching her.

Soon enough, Scarlett and Bonnie were the only ones left at the table. Stefan had walked Elena home, promising to see Scarlett later, and Caroline had gone to find someone else to talk to. The two girls got ready to leave.

"You need a ride?" Bonnie asked, pulling on her jacket.

"Nah, my car's out front," Scarlett replied as she fished her keys out from the bottom of her bag.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Night Bonnie." The girl waved as she left the bar. Scarlett pulled her crochet cardigan back on and slung her bag over her shoulder before heading for the exit. Her phone buzzed in her bag, and she tried to grab it, not looking where she was going. Just as her hand closed around her phone, she bumped into what felt like a brick wall. Looking up, Scarlett was hypnotized by the brightest pair of blue eyes she had ever seen.

"Are you okay?" His voice was deep and sexy, and it sent shivers running straight down Scarlett's spine. She stepped back slightly so that she could look at the man before her properly. Tall and obviously well muscled, his skin was pale and smooth and he had soot black hair that fell just to the collar of his jacket. Scarlett smiled nervously. She had never met such a gorgeous guy before, let alone spoken to one, and was embarrassed as hell for having knocked into him.

"I'm fine, thanks," she said, finally finding her voice. One corner of his mouth lifted in a slow, seductive smirk.

"That's good. We wouldn't want a pretty thing like you hurting yourself." Scarlett laughed nervously. She watched as his eyes trailed slowly over her body, before rising back up and settling on her lips. Her breath hitched slightly, and his smirk became satisfied.

"I should go," she murmured, making to move past him, but he stepped in front of her.

"Do you need a lift home?"

"No thanks," Scarlett replied, shaking her head. "My car's out front."

"I could walk you to your car …"

"I'll be fine," she insisted, and with a slight smile, she walked out of the door and into the night. Damon watched her go, taking a deep breath to catch the last traces of her scent. Jasmine, rose, and something just a little bit spicy. His smiled widened. Maybe being home wouldn't be so boring after all.

* * *

Scarlett was sat crossed legged on Stefan's bed reading when Zach came in brandishing a newspaper.

"You promised," he said to Stefan, handing over the paper. Scarlett glanced up, a frown marring her delicate features. She could feel Zach's fear. Stefan examined the paper in his hands before looking at his great-nephew.

"This was an animal attack.

"Don't give me that," Zach replied with obvious frustration. "I know the game; you tear them up enough they always suspect an animal attack. You said you had it under control." Scarlett put her book to one side and stood, walking to Stefan's side to read the headline over his shoulder – **Bodies found mutilated by animal. **

"Zach, Stefan does have it under control. He's only drinking animal blood." Stefan squeezed her hand slightly. Zach looked at her, then shook his head sadly.

"Please, Uncle Stefan. Mystic Falls is a different place now. It's been quiet for years, but there are people who still remember, and you being here … it's just gonna stir things up." Stefan frowned as he replied.

"That's not my intention."

"Then what is?" Zach burst out. "Why did you come back? After all this time, why now?"

"I don't have to explain myself," Stefan retorted. Scarlett nervously chewed her bottom lip. She understood why Zach was worried - if the town started worrying about vampires again, then things would get very complicated, very quickly. But she trusted Stefan. Zach hesitated before continuing.

"I know that you can't change what you are, but you don't belong here anymore."

"What are you talking about?" Scarlett asked. "This is his home, of course he belongs here." Zach looked deep into Scarlett's eyes, so like her mother's, then shook his head sadly.

"I can't tell you what to do, Uncle Stefan. But coming back here was a mistake." And with that he turned and left the room, flinging the newspaper down on a table. Scarlett and Stefan were both silent for a few moments, processing the conversation that had just occurred. Stefan slowly walked towards a large wardrobe, trailing his fingers over the door.

"He didn't mean it, Stefan. Zach's just scared." Scarlett tried to console him, but the vampire was lost in his own thoughts as he pulled the door open, revealing hundreds of leather bound journals. He pulled out one in particular, opened it and looked inside. Scarlett couldn't see what had caught his attention, so she moved forward slightly.

"It's late. You should go to bed, Scarlett." Scarlett hesitated slightly before nodding and walking to the door. Before she left, she turned and looked at her vampire godfather.

"I'm glad you're home, Stefan," she whispered, closing the door behind her as she left.

* * *

"The Battle of Willow Creek took place right at the end of the war, right in our very own Mystic Falls. How many casualties resulted in this battle?" Scarlett was twirling a lock of her long auburn hair through her fingers, staring down at the blank page in her notebook.

"Miss Williams?" Her eyes flew to Mr Tanner, who was looking at her in despair.

"Um … A lot?" There was chuckling around the room. "I'm not sure … like, a whole lot."

"Cute becomes dumb in an instant, Miss Williams." Scarlett glared at him as he turned his attention to Matt.

"Mr Donovan, would you like to take this opportunity to overcome your embedded 'jock' stereotype?"

"It's okay, Mr Tanner. I'm cool with it." Mr Tanner did not appear to be impressed.

"Elena?" he asked. "Surely you can enlighten us about one of the town's most significantly historical events." Elena shook her head slightly.

"I'm sorry, I … I don't know," she replied. Mr Tanner looked at her sternly.

"I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reasons, Elena. But the personal excuses ended with summer break." Scarlett glanced at her friend as she felt her embarrassment and sadness fill the room. She would have liked nothing better at that moment than to give Mr Tanner a piece of his own medicine. His comments were completely below the belt.

"There were three hundred and forty six casualties, unless you're counting the local civilians." Stefan's calm voice broke the awkward silence which had engulfed the room. Scarlett smiled to herself, thinking that if anyone in the room would know the answer, it would be him. Mr Tanner looked questioningly at Stefan.

"That's correct. Mr …?"

"Salvatore."

"Salvatore? Any relation to the original settlers here at Mystic Falls?" Mr Tanner seemed genuinely curious. Stefan hesitated slightly, and Scarlett ducked her head to hide her smile. Tanner would never guess that Stefan himself was one of the original Founders of the town.

"Distant," Stefan finally replied. Tanner nodded.

"Except, of course, there were no civilian casualties in this battle." He turned back towards the blackboard, but Stefan's voice stopped him.

"Actually there were twenty seven, sir. Confederate soldiers, they fired on a church, believing it to be housing weapons, and they were wrong. It was a night of great loss." Tanner glanced around the classroom sheepishly, embarrassed to be receiving a history lesson from one of his students. "The Founders Archives are stored in Civil Hall if you'd like to brush up on your facts. Mr Tanner." Whispers circulated the room at Stefan's last comment. Scarlett caught his gaze and shook her head slightly. She knew that Stefan had just made himself Mr Tanner's worst enemy.

* * *

Scarlett was sat on Elena's bed, braiding her mane of auburn hair over one shoulder as she waited for her friend to finish getting ready. She was driving Elena to the start of school party down at the Falls, and had joined the Gilbert family for dinner beforehand.

"So, how long have you known Stefan?" Elena's voice was slightly muffled as she was in the bathroom finishing her makeup, but Scarlett could tell she was fishing for information about the school's newest arrival.

"Practically my whole life," she replied.

"The two of you seem really close …"

"We are. He and Zach are my family." Elena left the bathroom, her makeup flawless and her long brown hair dead straight. She looked carefully at Scarlett as she asked her next question.

"Have the two of you ever … you know, been more?" Scarlett grinned – Elena couldn't have been more obvious if she'd tried. She was interested in Stefan.

"Never, that would just be way too weird," she said firmly. Elena nodded as she pulled on a leather jacket. Scarlett decided to do some fishing of her own. "He likes you, you know?" Elena nearly fell over as she was putting on her boots, and her dark eyes flashed to Scarlett's.

"He's told you?" She sounded completely shocked at this revelation. Scarlett's full lips curved into a secretive smile.

"He doesn't need to, I can tell." Elena nodded slightly, and a small smile crept onto her face.

"Shall we go?" Scarlett nodded and grabbed her bag before following her best friend down the stairs.

"Hey Jeremy, if you want a ride, we're leaving now," Scarlett called.

"You don't have to, you know," Elena told her. Scarlett shrugged dismissively.

"Elena, you're practically family too, that extends to your little brother." Elena grinned and the girls waited for Jeremy in the car. "You know what I think?" Scarlett asked.

"What do you think?" Elena replied, her eyes sparkling.

"I think this year is going to be pretty awesome."

* * *

As soon as they reached the party, Jeremy left Scarlett and Elena to do his own thing. Scarlett shared a worried look with her friend before they went to find Bonnie. She was stood next to a fire, beer in hand. Hugs were exchanged, and the conversation quickly turned to one Stefan Salvatore.

"Just admit it Elena," said Bonnie, as she exchanged a knowing smirk with Scarlett. Scarlett said nothing, just took another sip from her glass and pretended not to be interested in the conversation.

"Okay, so he's a little pretty," the brunette replied. Scarlett nearly choked on her drink.

"I'm not sure how he'd feel about being called that," she said, as she tried to imagine Stefan's reaction to being described as pretty.

"Come on, he has that whole romance novel stare," Bonnie replied, before jokingly saying, "Stefan's eyes looked deep into hers, piercing her very soul …" Scarlett and Elena burst out laughing at Bonnie's comment. It sounded exactly like a line from one of those trashy novels Scarlett's mum used to read.

"So where is he?" asked Bonnie.

"I don't know… Scarlett?" Elena turned to the red-head, who was also looking around for the subject of their conversation.

"I'm not sure, but he definitely said he'd be here," she replied, before looking at Bonnie. "Why don't you tap into those psychic powers of yours and tell us where he is?"

"Right, I forgot," she replied with a smile. "Okay, so give me a sec, Grams says I have to concentrate …"

"Wait, you need a crystal ball," Elena said, her face the picture of seriousness. She glanced around, before picking up an empty beer bottle and handing it over to Bonnie. But as Bonnie and Elena's hands touched on the bottle, Bonnie's eyes became unfocused and Scarlett felt a surge of energy unlike anything she'd ever felt before. It wasn't emotional; she wasn't quite sure what it was. Bonnie ripped her hand away from the bottle. Elena and Scarlett stared at their friend, but whilst Elena seemed genuinely confused, Scarlett just looked worried.

"What?" Elena asked.

"That was weird … When I touched you, I saw a crow." Scarlett raised one eyebrow at this. She remembered seeing a crow the day before, she wondered if Elena had seen one too.

"What?" Elena asked again, her voice more hesitant than before. Scarlett glanced at her and let the walls around her mind drop slightly until she could feel Elena's unease. She gently touched her arm to reassure her. Bonnie looked at Scarlett when she continued.

"A crow, there was fog, a man, and … you, Scarlett … I'm drunk, I've been drinking, there's nothing psychic about it." She tried to explain away her strange comments, but neither Scarlett nor Elena was falling for it. "Yeah, okay I'm gonna get a refill." With that, Bonnie turned and walked away. Elena watched her friend leave, still confused, before looking at Scarlett.

"What was that about?" she asked. Scarlett shook her head slowly, gazing after Bonnie.

"I'm not sure, but I'm going to see if she's alright." Elena nodded and Scarlett jogged to catch up with Bonnie, who was making her way towards Tyler Lockwood and the alcohol.

"Hey girls, need refills?" he asked, holding out two plastic cups filled with beer. Scarlett grabbed Bonnie's arm and started to pull her away.

"We're good, actually, thanks Tyler." He shrugged and turned back to his friends as Scarlett pulled Bonnie over to a slightly quieter area.

"Before you ask, Scarlett, I don't know what happened," Bonnie said. She was shaking slightly, and Scarlett pulled her into a hug to try and calm her down.

"Hey, it's okay Bonnie. We'll figure it out," she said, trying to soothe her friend. She felt Bonnie gradually relax, so she pulled away and looked into her eyes. "Feeling better?" Bonnie nodded and smiled slightly.

"Thanks Scarlett. How do you always know exactly what to say?" Scarlett grinned at her friend and shrugged.

"It's a natural talent; some people are just born with it." Bonnie laughed at Scarlett's joke, and the pair returned to the party. Just as they moved back, they heard Elena scream for help and Matt start yelling. Scarlett ran towards to commotion, and found Elena and Matt standing over an unconscious Vicki Donovan, Matt's younger sister. Scarlett quickly moved up to them and saw the reason for the yelling – there was a large, bloody bite mark on her neck. Pulling off her jumper, Scarlett bundled it against the wound, applying as much pressure as she could without causing further damage.

"Somebody call an ambulance," she said calmly." "Tyler, move everyone back, she needs air." Tyler started shoving people away, telling them to give Scarlett space to work. Scarlett's mum had been a doctor at the local hospital before her death, so she was probably more qualified than anyone to take care of Vicki until the ambulance arrived. She glanced around, looking for her godfather and when she caught his eyes, she nodded. It was practically imperceptible, but he saw it and he knew what it meant. This was no animal attack. It was a vampire.

Stefan turned and hurried into the night, while Scarlett returned her focus to Vicki as they waited for the medics to arrive.

* * *

Stefan ran like the wind in order to get home. He sprinted through a side entrance, straight into Zach's study. Zach glanced up looking confused.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Someone else was attacked tonight, Zach, and it wasn't me." Stefan rushed up the stairs to his bedroom. He had an awful feeling that he knew exactly who was to blame for tonight's attack. He glanced around his room, noticing that his balcony windows were wide open. As he stepped towards them, a large black crow flew in and perched on one of the beams near the ceiling. Stefan felt a presence behind him. He turned slowly to find his brother leaning against the balcony railings, a smirk curving his mouth.

"Damon," he stated.

"Hello, brother." Stefan stared at him in disbelief.

"Crow's a bit much, don't you think?" Damon stalked into them room, running his long fingers over some papers on Stefan's desk.

"Wait 'til you see what I can do with the fog," his brother replied, raising his eyebrows smugly. Stefan's brows furrowed as he watched his brother carefully.

"When'd you get here?" he asked.

"Well, I couldn't miss your first day at school," Damon joked, moving to a bookcase and pretending to show an interest in its contents. "Your hair's different, I like it."

"It's been fifteen years, Damon."

"Thank God, I couldn't take another day of the Nineties. That horrible grunge look did not suit you," he laughed. "Remember, Stefan, it's important to stay away from fads."

"Why are you here?" Stefan finally asked the question he'd been wanting to since he stepped into the room. Damon turned to him, a sarcastic smile on his face.

"I missed my little brother," he said as if it was obvious, but the smirk gave away his true feelings.

"You hate small towns, it's boring. There's nothing for you to do," Stefan retorted. Damon was fast beginning to annoy him.

"I've managed to keep myself busy," he smirked. Stefan didn't like that smirk – it made him feel like Damon knew something he didn't.

"You know you left that girl alive tonight? That was very clumsy of you." Damon sighed, almost apologetically.

"That could be a problem … for you." Stefan shook his head slowly.

"Why are you here now?"

"I could ask you the same question," Damon replied, pushing himself away from the dresser he'd been leaning against. "However, I'm fairly certain your answer could be summed up all into two little words - Elena and Scarlett. His smirk was challenging, daring Stefan to deny it. Damon resumed walking around Stefan's room, occasionally picking things up only to drop them with disinterest.

"She took my breath away… Elena. She's a dead-ringer for Katherine. And that pretty little goddaughter of yours … Well, she's intriguing, to say the least," he said, glancing back at his brother. Stefan glared in return.

"Is it working, Stefan? Being around her, being in her world, does it make you feel alive?"

"Elena is not Katherine, Damon," Stefan replied slowly, making sure that Damon heard every word.

"Well, let's hope not, we both know how that ended." Damon stopped in front of Stefan and made eye contact with his brother.

"Stay away from Scarlett, Damon. She has nothing to do with this - I'm not going to let you hurt her. Her or Elena." Damon chuckled.

"Is this you being all protective and god-fatherly? I guess I'd be impressed, if I hadn't already talked to her…" Stefan growled slightly, his frown deepening. "Tell me something, when's the last time you had something stronger than a squirrel?"

"I know what you're doing Damon, it's not gonna work," Stefan replied, turning away. Damon's hand shot out to grab his brother's arm.

"Come on, don't you crave a little?" He shoved Stefan backwards.

"Don't." Stefan said. Damon shoved him again.

"Let's do it, together. I saw a couple of girls out there … Or let's just cut to the chase, let's go straight for Elena and Scarlett." Stefan finally fought back, pushing his brother away from him.

"Stop it!" he cried.

"Imagine what their blood tastes like!" Stefan felt the blood lust surge within him as his fangs lengthened. He knew that if he looked in a mirror he would see the worst part of himself, the veins around his now blood red eyes dark and protruding. "I can," Damon finished.

"I said stop!" Stefan yelled, and he tackled his brother out through his bedroom window, smashing the glass on their way down. He landed on the ground. His body ached from the impact – his diet made physical pain more intense. Slowly, he rose to his knees, looking for his brother who was nowhere to be found.

"I'm impressed," Damon's voice came from behind him. He was stood leaning against a wall, his arms folded over his chest. "I'll give it a six, missed some style, but I was pleasantly surprised." Stefan doubled over to catch his breath as Damon joked at his expense. "Very good with the whole face 'argh' thing, it was good." Damon smiled widely, but his eyes glinted with malice.

"You know it's all fun and games Damon, huh? But wherever you go people die," Stefan said to his brother. Damon shrugged unconcerned.

"That's a given," he said blankly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to kill someone, which for him it was. Stefan shook his head.

"Not here, I won't allow it," he said adamantly. Damon smirked in response.

"I'll take that as an invitation," he replied, licking his lips in anticipation.

"Damon, please. After all these years can't we just give it a rest?" Stefan pleaded.

"I promised you an eternity of misery," Damon replied, pushing himself away from the wall and approaching his brother. "I'm just keeping my word."

"Just stay away from Elena and Scarlett," Stefan replied.

"Well you see, there's two of them and only one of you … You can only look out for one of them, and I think we both know which one that will be." Stefan shook his head, about to reply when Damon pointed at his hand. "Where's your ring?" Stefan looked down to find his hand bare, the ring which allowed him to walk in the sunlight missing. "Sun's coming up in a couple of hours, and poof! Ashes to ashes," Damon teased. Stefan took a few deep breaths before Damon laughed.

"Relax, it's right here." He held out his hand, palm up to reveal Stefan's ring. Stefan slowly took it and placed it on his finger, just as Damon grabbed him by the throat and threw him against the garage door. Stefan landed on his back and Damon stood over him.

"You should know better than to think you're stronger than me. You lost that fight when you stopped feeding on people. I wouldn't try it again." Damon crouched down beside his brother. "And just so you know, if I want Scarlett, I will have her, and there is nothing you can do to stop me." He glanced up and smiled. "I think we woke Zach up." He stood and turned to walk into the house, leaving Stefan lying on the floor. Stefan took a deep breath and gazed up at the sky. If Damon was back for good, things would not go well in Mystic Falls, and as much as he wanted to protect both Elena and Scarlett, Damon was right. He could only protect one, and that one wouldn't be his goddaughter.

* * *

After Vicki and Matt had been taken to the hospital, the party started to break up. Scarlett, Elena and Jeremy went to Scarlett's car and she drove them back into town. The ride was quiet – they were all shocked at what had happened to Vicki, none more so than Jeremy. Scarlett, however, was puzzled. If another vampire was in town, it could potentially cause a lot of problems for Stefan. She glanced in her rear-view mirror to see Jeremy staring out the back window.

"Do you fancy going to the Grill for coffee? I said I'd meet Bonnie and Caroline there." Elena glanced back at her brother, then shook her head.

"I think we'll just go home thanks, Scarlett."

"Okay, no worries." Scarlett dropped Elena and Jeremy off at home before making her way to the Grill. When she walked in, she saw Caroline and Bonnie sat at a table already nursing cups of coffee.

"You okay, Care?" Scarlett asked as she joined the two girls. Caroline smiled sheepishly at her and nodded, her blonde curls bouncing vigorously.

"I'm fine, just a teensy weensy bit drunk." Bonnie smiled half-heartedly.

"Better sober up before I take you home, your mum won't be too happy that you've been drinking.

"Eugh, like she even notices," Caroline scoffed. The waiter arrived with Scarlett drink, and the three of them sat talking quietly as they sipper their coffee's. After a while, Bonnie asked Caroline if she was sober yet. Caroline looked at her, then sighed and held her head in her hands.

"No," she whined. Scarlett smiled slightly before placing some money on the table.

"I better get home before Zach starts to worry," she said, standing and wrapping her scarf around her long, slender neck.

"Text me when you get back?" Bonnie asked. Scarlett nodded and quickly hugged her friend before kissing Caroline on the cheek.

"Fell better soon, Care." Caroline smiled dazedly.

"I love you, Scarlett. You're the bestest friend ever." Bonnie and Scarlett laughed, before Scarlett waved and walked out of the bar. She was nearly at her car when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around, prepared to scream, only to come face to face with the blue eyed stranger from yesterday night.

"Hi," she said shyly, pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Mr Tall, Dark and Handsome smiled down at her, one corner of his mouth tilted slightly higher than the other. It was cute, and Scarlett found herself staring a bit longer than was probably polite.

"Good evening, beautiful. Can I buy you a drink?" His voice was exactly as she remembered it, warm and deep, and Scarlett found herself wanting to listen to him talk for as long as possible. Then reality set in, and she stepped back slightly.

"I was actually just leaving," she said, pointing in the general direction of her car. He almost looked … disappointed? But he didn't even know her, he couldn't be disappointed that she couldn't stay and enjoy his company. "Maybe some other time?" she said hurriedly. His smirk reappeared, and he tipped his chin down slightly in agreement.

"Absolutely," he said quietly. Scarlett smiled and turned to walk to her car. Damon watched her get in and drive away, his eyes following her tail lights as they moved further down the road. "See you soon, Scarlett," he said quietly to himself, before going into the bar. He sat down behind two girls drinking coffee and ordered a glass of bourbon. Bored, he listened in on their conversation.

"Keep drinking, I've got to get you home," one of the girls said. "I've got to get me home."

"Why didn't he go for me?" the other girl asked, her blonde hair beginning to fall out of its curls. Damon smiled at her pathetic question. Tonight had just become interesting. "You know, how come the guys that I want never want me?" she continued.

"I'm not touching that," her friend replied.

"You know, I'm inappropriate, I always say the wrong thing, and Elena always says the right thing." She sighed miserably. "God, she doesn't even try and he just picks her, and she's always the one that everyone picks, for everything, and if it's not her it's Scarlett. And I try so hard and I'm never the one…" Her rant trailed off. Her friend shook her head slightly. Damon's smile widened – here was his way to really get to Scarlett.

"It's not a competition, Caroline," she said quietly. There was a pause, and Damon waited to hear what the sad blonde girl would say, his smile faltering slightly.

"Yeah it is," she told her friend, and Damon's smile returned more devious than ever. He could definitely use this one.

"I'm going to pay the bill," the blonde girl's friend said, as she got up and walked to the bar. Damon glanced over to the girl – Caroline, was it? He smiled charmingly at her. She met his eyes, and he tipped his head slightly. She raised her eyebrows, obviously flirting with him, and then smiled widely. It was almost too easy.

* * *

Scarlett got home just as Stefan was about to leave. She smiled at him, draping her jacket and scarf over a chair in the parlour.

"Where are you off to at this time of night?" she asked. He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, looking slightly bashful.

"I was actually going to go see Elena." Scarlett smiled knowingly and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Oh, really?" she asked, raising one eye brow. "Well, as her best friend, I feel duty bound to warn you that if you hurt her, godfather or no, I will stake you in your sleep." Stefan chuckled at her threat.

"Got it." Scarlett started to walk to the kitchen to get a drink before bed, when Stefan stopped her. He looked down into her eyes, a frown marring his brow. Scarlett could feel how nervous he was.

"You don't have to worry, Stefan. Elena likes you," she told him. He shook his head slightly.

"That's not it, Scarlett. It's about Vicki Donovan's attack…" Scarlett studied his eyes. There was something he wasn't telling her.

"Do you know who it was?" she asked Stefan quietly. He nodded.

"It was Damon." Scarlett's jaw dropped. As far as she knew, Damon hadn't come back to Mystic Falls since the early nineteen hundreds.

"He's back?" she asked. Her voice trembled slightly. Zach and Stefan had told her all about Damon, how he killed mercilessly and without feeling. If he was back in town, things were about to get extremely bad.

"Yes, he is," Stefan replied. "I need you to be careful, Scarlett. You know I'll try and protect you, but Damon is…" Scarlett nodded. She knew Damon would be stronger than Stefan, as he fed on humans, which meant that she would have to take some extra precautions.

"Don't worry, Stefan, I know what to do. Go talk to Elena, I'm sure she'd like to see you." Stefan cupped her cheek in his hand and gazed into her eyes.

"You sure you're going to be alright?" he asked. Scarlett smiled.

"I'll start sleeping with a stake under my pillow." Stefan laughed and kissed her forehead before leaving. Scarlett headed to the kitchen to get a glass of water before going to bed. Once in her room, she walked to her dressing table and pulled a small, silver locked from her jewellery box. Scarlett opened it to reveal a picture of her mother and some dried purple flowers. Vervain. Placing the locket around her neck, she started getting ready for bed. She changed into her pyjamas, brushed her teeth and was just sitting down to brush her hair when a loud cawing noise filled the room. Her eyes flew to her bedroom window, and there on the window seat sat a large, black crow.

Slowly, Scarlett rose and tried to shoo it away, but it wouldn't move. She threw her hairbrush at it, and it flapped its wings disdainfully and flew into the night. Scarlett hurried to the window and closed it, snapping the lock shut. An eerie chill crossed the back of her neck, the same one she had experienced last night.

She was being watched.

* * *

**So... What do you think? I've had this chapter for a while, and I'm hoping to turn into a full length story. Let me know your thoughts, constructive criticism is always welcome, and hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon. Bare with me though, I'm also working on something for publication, so I'll have to share my time between that and FanFiction.**

**As always, much love xxx**


	2. Night of the Comet

**Disclaimer:- Once again, The Vampire Diaries doesn't belong to me, but Scarlett does. Hope you enjoy...**

* * *

Scarlett woke up early the next day. Her room was unnaturally cold, so she pulled her duvet closer and snuggled into her pillows for a few moments longer, hoping that she'd be able to get back to sleep. Sadly, sleep evaded her so she sat up and stretched her arms above her head, yawning widely. Her eyes flickered to her windows which were wide open, the grey voiles swaying gently in the breeze. Scarlett's nose wrinkled in confusion – she could've sworn she'd shut them last night. Kicking her legs out of the bed, her attention was caught by a tray on her night stand. On it was a cup of coffee, a muffin and a single white rose. Her confusion intensified for a moment before realisation hit. Trust Stefan to be so thoughtful.

She hurriedly had her breakfast, then showered and dressed in a denim mini skirt, teal coloured blouse and tan ankle boots. Mascara and blush were all she applied to her face, and she replaced her heart shaped locket filled with vervain to her neck. If Damon decided to turn up at the house, that should keep him out of her head. Scarlett picked up her used breakfast tray, placing the rose on her desk, before heading downstairs to the kitchen. Stefan and Zach were already there, both sipping coffee and talking quietly.

"Good morning," Scarlett said brightly as she entered the room. Both men smiled in return – her cheerfulness was infectious.

"Did you sleep well?" Zach asked her. Scarlett nodded as she poured more coffee into her cup.

"Yes, thanks. And thank you for breakfast, Stefan." She smiled at her godfather, but he looked bemused. "Did you not bring me a breakfast tray this morning?"

"No, I didn't," he replied slowly. He and Scarlett both looked at Zach who shook his head.

"It wasn't me," he answered their silent question. Scarlett's nose wrinkled in confusion.

"Then who…" Her eyes flew to Stefan's as she figured out who had mysteriously left her breakfast by her bed. "Damon." Stefan looked completely put out. Carefully, Scarlett reached out to him with her mind and felt not only his confusion, but also his fear. Fear for her, fear of what Damon might do. It was overwhelming, and she had to grasp onto the kitchen counter to keep from falling. Stefan was by her side in an instant, supporting her and tilting her chin up so that he could look into her eyes.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly. Scarlett nodded.

"That'll teach me not to go rifling through people's minds in future," she joked, but Stefan still looked worried.

"It was … nice? Damon bringing me breakfast. It was nice of him." Her speech was static, hesitant. She didn't know what to think, having never met the man.

"Damon doesn't do anything unless he thinks he can get something in return," Stefan told her sternly. Scarlett nodded in understanding. He was warning her. Damon may have brought her breakfast, but that did not make them friends.

"What are your plans for today?" Zach asked from across the room. He had just turned the television on so that he could watch the news – it was the only one in the house.

"School, as usual."

"I'll keep an eye on her, don't worry Zach," Stefan said. He picked up his school bag and ushered Scarlett out of the room.

* * *

History was as boring as usual. Mr Tanner was lecturing them on the comet which was due to appear over Mystic Falls tomorrow night. Scarlett was drawing aimlessly on her notebook, but when she pulled her pen away, she realised that what she had drawn was a single white rose. She hastily scribbled it out and tried to focus on her teacher.

"Originally discovered nearly five centuries ago, it hasn't been over Mystic Falls in over a hundred and forty five years. Now the comet will be its brightest right after dusk during tomorrow's celebration… Are we bothering you? Mr Salvatore, Miss Gilbert?" Scarlett glanced at her friends and smirked slightly. They had just been caught sharing longing looks across the classroom. She rolled her eyes – considering that Stefan was a hundred and sixty year old vampire, she kind of thought that he'd be over the whole school crush thing. Apparently not.

The bell rang and Scarlett left with Caroline and Bonnie. As they walked to their lockers, the conversation drifted to Bonnie's talents.

"I'm confused," said Caroline. "Are you psychic or clairvoyant?" Bonnie looked at Scarlett and rolled her eyes.

"Technically, Grams says I'm a witch. My ancestors were these really cool Salem witch chicks or something… Grams tried to explain it all but she was looped on the liquor, so I kind of tuned out." Scarlett smiled slightly to herself. Bonnie had no idea how right her grandmother was. Her own mother, Tara, had been good friends with Sheila Bennett and knew the family secret. Scarlett found it odd that it had taken this long for Sheila to start teaching Bonnie about her gifts.

"Crazy family, yes. Witches, I don't think so," Bonnie said with assurance.

"Yeah, well feel free to conjure up the name and number of that guy from last night," Caroline teased.

"Which guy is this?" Scarlett asked. She hoped it wasn't her blue eyed stranger; she had no desire to compete with Caroline over who got to date him.

"I didn't see him, you did," Bonnie replied laughingly. "Why didn't you just talk to him?" Caroline shrugged.

"I dunno, I was drunk." The three girls laughed then Bonnie turned to Scarlett.

"What about you, Scarlett? Any guys caught your attention lately?" Scarlett opened her locker, hiding her smiling face behind the door as she answered.

"No, not really," she said casually.

"You're so lying," Caroline exclaimed. "I saw you drawing roses on your notebook in class." Scarlett blushed furiously, not her best look.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Care," she muttered. Bonnie and Caroline squealed in delight.

"Scarlett's got a secret crush!" Caroline practically yelled. Scarlett levelled a death glare in her direction.

"Say it a bit louder, Caroline, I don't think they heard you in China." But the two girls would not be fazed. They continued to badger her until she finally told them she was going to find Stefan. Scarlett left them discussing who her possible love interest was and walked towards the parking lot. She saw Stefan sitting on a bench by himself and made her way over, jumping up beside him.

"Hey, how's your head?" he asked as she settled herself beside him.

"Still spinning, but for completely different reasons than this morning." Stefan looked at her confused. "Bonnie and Caroline have been driving me crazy with boy talk," she explained, shaking her head slightly. He smiled, before glancing over his shoulder to see Elena and Matt talking together. Scarlett followed his gaze and smiled.

"I'm sure you have nothing to worry about, but feel free to eavesdrop. I could use a bit of peace and quiet." Stefan grinned at her and tuned out from the conversation. Scarlett gazed across the parking lot, watching people walk past. Her attention was caught by a large crow sat on top of a streetlight. If she didn't know better, she'd say it was the same one that was at her window last night. Suddenly, Stefan gripped her hand. She looked at him in alarm.

"What? What is it?"

"I have to go to the hospital."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Vicki said a vampire attacked her." Scarlett blanched and nodded quickly at Stefan.

"Go, I'll cover for you." By the time she blinked again he was gone. Moments later, Elena walked up beside her. Scarlett smiled, but her mind was still focused on what Stefan had just said.

"Hey Scarlett, wasn't Stefan with you?" Scarlett managed to keep her smile in place.

"Yeah, he just remembered something he had to do." Elena frowned slightly and nodded. "You know what, I'm not feeling too great, I might go home for the afternoon." Elena's frown deepened.

"Are you okay?" Scarlett shrugged slightly.

"I've just been getting these really bad headaches; they're knocking me out a bit."

"Okay, go home and rest. I'll tell Caroline you can't help out with the flyers this afternoon," Elena said as she hugged her friend.

"Tell her I'll make it up to her," Scarlett replied before waving and walking to her car.

* * *

When Scarlett got back home the first thing she did was take a long shower. The hot water soothed her nerves and calmed her mind. Afterwards she slowly brushed her hair until it hung in loose waves down her back, then put on some grey skinny jeans and an oversized white t-shirt and flopped down on the bed. She gazed at the ceiling for a few moments before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.

She wasn't sure if it was minutes or hours later, but some time during her nap something soft started brushing against her cheek. Scarlett reached up to push the intruding object away, but it persisted in tickling her awake.

"Wake up, sleepy head," said a soft voice. Scarlett's eyes flew open to meet a pair of startlingly blue ones, framed by long dark lashes. She scrambled off the bed and landed in a heap on the floor, before standing up and putting as much distance between her and the man who had awoken her as possible. Once she could breathe again, she looked at him properly - it was the mystery man from the Grill.

"What are you doing in my house?" she fairly screamed.

"What are _you_ doing in _my _house?" was his quick reply. Scarlett's eyes widened and her heart began to race with fear.

"Damon?" she whispered. His eyes sparkled as he smirked at her and tipped his head in acknowledgement.

"A pleasure to finally meet you, Scarlett," he said sarcastically. "Or should that be, a pleasure to see you again – I'm not sure about the protocol in these circumstances." Scarlett simply stared at him. She was still trying to get over the fact that the handsome man from the Grill and Damon Salvatore were one and the same.

"What are you doing in my room?" she finally asked. Damon sat down on her bed and made himself comfortable, crossing his ankles and fixing her with a penetrating stare.

"I thought we could hang out, get to know each other, bond … You know, family stuff." His voice was flippant, but his eyes were hot as he gazed at her. Scarlett was pretty sure he had just found his next meal, and she was on the menu.

"I'm actually pretty busy – "

"You didn't look busy," he interrupted her. He wouldn't stop staring at her. Scarlet was starting to find it hard to concentrate, and moved towards her bookcase so that she could pretend to be more interested in what was on them than she was in him. Before she had even moved, however, Damon was standing right in front of her, only a few breaths of space between them. He was a good few inches taller than her petite five foot five frame, so Scarlett had to tilt her head back to look him in the eyes.

That was a mistake. This close, his eyes were completely hypnotising, bluer than the sky at the height of summer. Damon carefully touched her face with the tip of one finger, tracing her cheek bone until he reached the corner of her mouth. He was no longer smiling; instead, a gentle frown drew his eyebrows together. His eyes gazed deeply into hers – he seemed to be studying her, searching for something - she couldn't guess what.

Damon stared into Scarlett's sapphire blue eyes. There was something about this girl, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. She intrigued him, more than he wanted to admit. More than he could allow. He wanted to figure her out so that he could get back to his reason for being in Mystic Falls. The red-headed, blue eyed girl in front of him was a distraction he seriously couldn't afford to indulge.

"Damon, what are you doing?" The spell cast by Damon's eyes was broken, and Scarlett stumbled back as she looked towards her bedroom door. Stefan was standing there with a face like thunder, his hands clenched into fists by his sides. Scarlett drew in a deep breath to fill her empty lungs. She glanced back at Damon who was now smirking again.

"Just saying hello to your charming goddaughter," he said casually. As he walked past Scarlett, their eyes met and he winked. Scarlett felt her cheeks heat as she blushed. When he reached Stefan, Damon patted him hard on the shoulder. "Don't worry brother, I didn't bite." With that, he left the room.

As soon as the door was closed, Stefan rushed to her side, taking both of Scarlett's hands in his. He led her to the window seat and sat her down, examining her for any injuries.

"Are you alright? Did he hurt you?" Stefan's voice was low and worried as he tried to judge how much damage Damon had inflicted. Scarlett shook her head.

"No, I'm fine. He didn't do anything." Her breathing had returned to normal and she just about had her emotions in check. She looked at Stefan to see that his eyes were still filled with worry.

"He certainly knows how to wake a person up," she tried to joke, but it was evidently too much for Stefan who growled low in his throat before getting up and pacing her room. Scarlett was quiet for a few moments before she asked, "What does he want?"

Stefan stopped pacing and looked her straight in the eye. "I honestly don't know," he said softly. Scarlett nodded and stood up, stepping into some black ballet pumps and grabbing her handbag and a leather jacket.

"I think I'm going to go for a drive, get out of the house for a while," Stefan nodded before he left the room. Scarlett walked down the stairs and was about to get a bottle of water from the kitchen when she heard voices coming from the parlour. She changed direction and walked softly towards the parlour. Damon and Elena were there having a quiet conversation. Scarlett froze at the entrance.

"Hello Scarlett." Of course Damon would know she was there, damned vampire hearing. Elena turned to look at her, surprised - she hadn't heard her arrive. Scarlett smiled slightly and moved into the room.

"Elena, I didn't know you were coming over," she said quietly. Elena walked forward smiling in return.

"I wanted to see how you were doing. When Bonnie told me you've been getting these headaches for a while, I started to worry…" Scarlett's eyes flicked to Damon before she replied. He was smirking at her; it seemed to be his favourite look. There was something challenging in his gaze, as if he was daring her to say something, though what that something was, Scarlett couldn't tell.

"I'm feeling much better, thank you," she responded. Elena smiled. "I was actually about to head into town, could you give me a lift?" She tried to usher Elena out of the house, but when she turned around she bumped straight into her godfather. Stefan steadied her, but his eyes were focused on Damon.

"I didn't know you were here, Elena," Stefan said, his eyes never leaving Damon's face. Elena moved closer to him, a bright smile on her face.

"I know I should've called, I just-"

"Oh don't be silly, you're welcome anytime," Damon cut her off, before glancing up at his brother. "Isn't she Stefan?" Stefan didn't reply. The tension in the room was rapidly increasing. Scarlett could feel Elena's confusion, mixing with Stefan's concern. She looked at Damon and found him staring not at his brother, but at her. "You know, I should break out the family photo albums, or some home movies, but I have to warn you, he wasn't always such a looker." Elena smiled slightly.

"Thank you for stopping by, Elena. It was nice to see you." Stefan hadn't stopped glaring at his brother. Scarlett touched his arm.

"Stefan…" She stopped talking when he turned his glare on her, and she dropped her hand from his arm. Elena stared at Stefan in disbelief, before nodding.

"Yeah, I should probably go." She turned to Damon. "It was nice to meet you, Damon." He took her hand and shook it gently.

"Great meeting you too, Elena," he replied, then he raised her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss on her knuckles. Scarlett felt a surge of jealousy, but quickly quashed it when Damon's eyes flew to hers. She didn't want him to know how much he affected her. Elena moved to leave the room, but was stopped when Stefan wouldn't move out of her way. She said his name questioningly, looking up at him. Slowly, he moved out of her way, his gaze never leaving Damon's face. Elena glanced at Scarlett, who smiled apologetically, then led her to the front door.

"See you soon, Scarlett," Damon called from behind them. Scarlett stopped to glance over her shoulder. He was still smirking, and Stefan was still staring at him. Scarlett quickly ushered Elena out of the house.

As the door closed, Damon let out a low whistle.

"Great gal, she's got spunk. And Scarlett, well, I've always had a fondness for redheads." He gave Stefan the once over. "You, on the other hand, look pooped. Did you overexert yourself today? Let me guess, hospital?" Stefan walked further into the room, finally letting his gaze wonder.

"Someone had to clean up your mess," he said quietly.

"Well were you successful? Did the powers of persuasion work?" Damon laughed slightly. "Remember, if you don't feed properly none of those little tricks work right."

"How long was Elena here?" Stefan asked his brother.

"Were you worried, Stefan? Scared we may be doomed to repeat the past?" He chuckled scornfully. "Isn't that why you play your little game, 'I'm a high school human'?"

"I'm not playing any game," Stefan replied calmly.

"Of course you are," Damon argued. "We both know the closest you'll get to humanity is when you rip it open and feed on it," he whispered into his brother's ear. Stefan turned to him, frowning.

"What kind of game are you playing, Damon?" he asked. Damon shrugged.

"I guess you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?" he replied, before smirking and walking out of the room.

* * *

The drive to Elena's house was awfully quiet. Both girls were mulling over the earlier conversation with the Salvatore brothers, though for very different reasons.

"What was that all about?" Elena finally asked. Scarlett hesitated before replying.

"Oh, you know just typical family issues…" Elena glanced at the redhead.

"There was nothing typical about that conversation." Scarlett sighed.

"Damon only just got back to down, and they haven't seen each other in a long time. From what Zach tells me, they were always pretty competitive." Elena was silent as she pulled up in front of her house and the girls walked up the path to the front door.

"It was so weird, and the way Damon was staring at you…" Scarlett gaped at Elena.

"What are you talking about?" she said quickly. They both took off their jackets and hung them up before moving towards the kitchen, where it sounded like Jenna was making dinner.

"I don't know, it just looked like he was going to… eat you, or something." Scarlett nearly choked on air at Elena's comment, but she was saved from replying by Jenna.

"Scarlett, you're here. Good, I got all the ice cream we own out." As the girls grabbed bowls and spoons, Elena filled Jenna in on their weird conversation with Stefan and Damon.

"He's on the rebound and has raging family issues," she complained. Scarlett shook her head as she chopped strawberries onto her vanilla ice cream.

"He's not on the rebound, trust me." She passed the chocolate sauce to Elena and smiled comfortingly. "But I won't deny the family issues, they're pretty bad." Elena watched as Scarlett scattered sprinkles over her ice cream.

"What do you know about Katherine?" she finally asked. Scarlett froze, a spoonful of ice cream halfway to her mouth. Slowly, she lowered the spoon and glanced down.

"I know that Stefan and Damon were both very close to her a while back," she replied quietly. "I'm not sure of the details, but I imagine that girl has a lot to do with why they hate each other now." Elena and Jenna stared at Scarlett for a few moments before Jenna broke the silence by dropping another tub of ice cream on the table.

"Well, at least it's only an ex girlfriend," said Jenna. "Wait until you date a guy with mummy issues, or cheating issues… Or amphetamine issues."

"I agree with the cheating issues," Scarlett put in, glad for the change in conversation. "Remember when I was dating Tyler and he slept with that Lucy girl because I wouldn't have sex with him?" Elena nodded, but still didn't look too happy. The front door opened, and the three women looked up to see Jeremy walk in, obviously high from whatever cocktail of drugs he was on this week.

"Jeremy," called Jenna. He ignored her and started walking up the stairs. Jenna gave chase, while Scarlett and Elena shared exasperated glances and tucked into their ice cream.

"That's not going to end well," Scarlett said quietly. Elena shook her head.

"I really worry about him." Scarlett placed a comforting hand on Elena's arm.

"Believe me, I know." Elena looked up at her, confused.

"What do you mean?" Scarlett frowned slightly. She realised what she'd said sounded a bit weird, but she didn't think she'd have to explain herself. Her gift was something she'd grown used to ever since it revealed itself to her when she hit thirteen, but how to explain it to her friend.

"What if I told you I could… tell how people are feeling?" she asked quietly, staring down at her ice cream so she didn't have to make eye contact with Elena.

"Like what? Body language and stuff?" Scarlett shook her head.

"More like … reading people's thoughts, only it's their emotions instead." She finally looked up at Elena to find her looking more confused than before.

"Are you saying you're psychic?" she asked. Scarlett sighed. She had never liked the word psychic, she couldn't read people's minds, but she supposed it might be easier for Elena to understand her gifts that way.

"Kind of, yes." Elena sent her a dubious look.

"Okay, how am I feeling now?" she asked jokingly. Scarlett sighed and closed her eyes, reaching out to Elena's mind with her own.

"Worried and angry, probably about Jeremy… Confused and hurt… That'll be from our conversation with Stefan earlier… And now scared, because I'm telling you exactly how you feel." Scarlett opened her eyes and found Elena staring at her, her dark brown eyes wide with shock. She watched Elena calmly as she tried to take it in. Finally, Elena smiled mischievously.

"If I ever have problems figuring out how I feel again, I'm coming to you." The two girls laughed before finishing off their ice cream. Scarlett knew that Elena thought it was a coincidence, but at least she wasn't running away screaming. That would be enough for now. They watched a movie with Jenna, before Scarlett said it was time for her to leave. Jenna offered her a ride home, but Scarlett said she'd prefer to walk. Elena walked her to the door.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Scarlett asked. As she put on her jacked and shoes.

"Yeah, definitely. Caroline would kill us both if we didn't show." Elena hugged Scarlett, and she walked out the door. Scarlett was about to walk down the front steps when Elena called her.

"Scarlett?" She turned and looked expectantly at her best friend. "Thank you, for telling me a bit more about Stefan." Scarlett smiled and nodded slightly before walking off into the night.

* * *

The day of the comet's arrival dawned bright and sunny, but Scarlett had no intention of getting out of bed too early. She rolled over intending to grab her book from the nightstand, but instead her hand collided with something hot and wet. Sitting up, she found another breakfast tray, and another white rose, waiting for her. Scarlett sighed as she got out of bed and pulled a long cardigan over her short pyjamas. She picked up the tray, untouched, and carried it down to the kitchen.

Zach was already there, sat at the counter reading the newspaper and he glanced up with a smile when she entered.

"Damon make you breakfast again?" he asked. Scarlett placed the tray by the sink and grabbed a clean cup, filling it with coffee.

"Unfortunately, yes," she replied as she added milk to the steaming hot liquid and took a sip. She leaned against the counter and stared into the depths of her coffee cup.

"What's on your mind?" Zach said quietly. Scarlett sighed and looked him in the eye.

"I just want to know what he wants. Why is he being so nice to me? He doesn't even know me." Zach took a long sip of coffee before he replied.

"I honestly don't know, Scarlett. But I want you to be careful. Damon isn't a nice guy, so don't let your guard slip because he does a couple of nice things for you, okay?" Scarlett nodded at Zach's warning. She had no intention of letting her guard slip around Damon Salvatore.

"I'm going to get dressed," she said quietly. She kissed Zach on the cheek before walking to her room. She couldn't have been in the kitchen for more than ten minutes, but when she opened her bedroom door, she found it full of white roses. Her jaw dropped. There were at least sixteen vases, full to bursting with roses, scattered around the room – the smell was intoxicating. She didn't need to ask who had done it. Damon. If he had been any other guy, she would have found it sweet, but this gesture just made Scarlett ask herself what he wanted from her.

Sighing, she made her way to her bathroom, showered, and dressed in a dark blue dress that reached her knees and a grey cardigan. Brown sandals went on her feet, and she quickly braided her hair down her back. Once she was dressed, she went back downstairs to find Zach and Stefan talking in the study.

"If either of you have a few moments, could you move the funeral parlour arrangements from my bedroom and spread them around the house?" Both men looked confused. "Damon thought it would be funny to buy every white rose in Mystic Falls and put them in my bedroom," she explained.

"What? Are you okay?" Stefan asked.

"I'm fine," she replied quickly. "I'm leaving now, I told Caroline I'd help her set up for tonight." She waved at Zach and kissed Stefan on the cheek before leaving the house and walking to her car. Scarlett was just trying to get her keys from inside her handbag when she walked into something – or rather someone.

"We've simply got to stop meeting like this, Miss Williams." She felt her heart speed up, and when she looked up and saw his satisfied smirk, Scarlett knew that Damon had heard it too.

"Do you mind? I'm leaving."

"Oh, you're feeling fiery today… I like it," he said, and his blue eyes sparkled at her. She frowned. There was something odd about his eyes. She hadn't noticed it before, but the emotions he showed were only ever skin deep – they never reached his eyes. She moved to walk past him and he blocked her. She tried again, and again he got in her way.

"I'm running late, Damon," she managed to say through gritted teeth. He crossed his well muscled arms over his wide chest.

"Aren't you going to tell me how much you liked my present?" he asked.

"What present?" Scarlett asked, completely straight faced. His smirk faltered, just for a second but she saw it.

"The roses."

"Oh those… No offence, but roses have never really been my thing," Scarlett replied sweetly. The look of shock on Damon's face was perfect in Scarlett's eyes. "Try something a bit more original next time." While Damon stood there at a loss for words, Scarlett finally managed to squeeze past him and get into her car. She watched his figure in her rear-view mirror until he was out of sight, and only then did she let out the breath she had been holding.

* * *

Scarlett, Bonnie and Elena were given the job of handing out flyers for the Night of the Comet. The three girls walked around the town square, watching everyone have fun while they talked.

"He didn't call, huh?" Bonnie asked Elena.

"Or text," Elena replied. "Then I realised we never even exchanged that stuff. We never got to the texting part." Scarlett handed a leaflet to an elderly couple before turning to Elena.

"That's an important milestone in any relationship," she said seriously.

"Isn't it?" Elena replied, while Bonnie nodded in agreement.

"The timing was wrong anyway," Elena continued.

"When is it ever right?" Bonnie asked.

"I'm not ready, Bonnie."

"Who is?" Scarlett asked, starting to lose patience. The three girls stopped walking and stood in a circle.

"At least I put myself out there," Elena argued. Scarlett scoffed.

"Is that what you're calling it?" Elena refused to make eye contact, and Scarlett and Bonnie shared a knowing glance.

"What do you mean?" Elena asked.

"What she means is, we're only hearing reasons why you can't," Bonnie explained. Elena looked between the two of them, before nodding, and the three of them moved on. Scarlett turned to hand a flyer to a couple walking past when her attention was caught by a dark figure standing by the road. Damon smirked and waved his fingers at her. She blinked and he was gone.

"Scarlett? Are you okay?" Bonnie asked, shaking Scarlett out of her daze. She nodded brusquely.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Absolutely fine."

* * *

Later that evening Scarlett, Elena and Bonnie joined Caroline, Matt and Tyler by a bench in the square, lighting candles and watching the comet. Scarlett saw Stefan arrive and start talking to Elena, and she smiled. She wanted them both to be happy. Caroline and Bonnie drew her into a conversation about the upcoming decade dance, but when she saw Elena leave, she walked over to Stefan.

"Is everything okay?" she asked quietly. Stefan gazed after Elena, before turning to his goddaughter.

"I don't know. I want this to work, but I hate keeping so many secrets from her." Scarlett nodded as she watched the comet. She linked her arm with his and they stood in silence for a few moments.

"Maybe it would be easier if you just told her what you are," Scarlett finally whispered. Stefan's gaze snapped to hers, his hazel eyes questioning. "I accepted you," she replied, shrugging as though it meant nothing. Stefan smiled slowly.

"That you did," he replied. "Let's walk." They slowly walked around the town square, talking quietly. Stefan told her that he and Zach had spread the roses throughout the Boarding House.

"As long as they're not cluttering up my bedroom – I like my space, thank you. " Stefan chuckled quietly before responding.

"Don't push Damon too hard, Scarlett. He's not as easy going as I am." Scarlett glanced at him.

"What do you mean?" she asked simply.

"I heard what you said to him before you left this morning." Scarlett smiled as she remembered the conversation. "He likes playing games, but only when he has the upper hand. You can only push him so far before he snaps, Scarlett." Stefan pulled her to a stop and looked into her eyes. "I don't want you getting hurt." Scarlett nodded, noting the serious timbre of his voice. She was just about to tell Stefan that she would be careful when Matt came up to them.

"Hey, have either of you seen my sister?"

"No, sorry," Stefan replied.

"I can't find her, she's missing," Matt said, worry evident in his voice. Scarlett started to open her mind, searching for Vicki, but there were too many people in the square and she was immediately bombarded by emotions.

"We'll keep an eye out for her," Stefan said as he started to pull the red head away.

"Hey, I saw you at the hospital yesterday," Matt called after them. Stefan turned back as Scarlett reached a hand to her forehead tying to ease the pain.

"Did you?" Stefan said quietly.

"What were you doing there?" Matt asked.

"Visiting," Stefan replied.

"Visiting?" Matt sounded dubious, and he glanced at Scarlett for confirmation, but she was turned away from them, trying to force a hundred different people's emotions out of her head. "You know, Elena and I, we've known each other a long time. We might not be together right now, but I look out for her, and I'll always look out for her." Stefan was nodding at Matt when Scarlett suddenly grabbed his hand. He looked at her and found her staring into space. She had found Vicki. Stefan listened carefully, and heard Damon's voice. He turned to Matt, who looked confused.

"Excuse us," he muttered, before pulling Scarlett towards a row of buildings.

"You can sense her?" he whispered when they were far enough away from Matt. Scarlett nodded.

"She's terrified." Stefan and Scarlett walked away from the people still in the square towards a shop. When she looked at the roof, Scarlett saw Vicki and Damon balanced on the edge.

"Oh my God," she whispered. Stefan pulled her to his side and used his vampire speed to rush them to the top of the building.

"Not bad," Damon said when Stefan and Scarlett appeared in front of him. "Have you been eating bunnies?"

"Let her go," Stefan said quietly. Scarlett stepped forward slightly, her eyes focused on Vicki.

"Scarlett, you're looking particularly lovely this evening, although I prefer your hair loose." Scarlett moved her gaze to Damon who was staring at her intently, his blue eyes part angry, part amused.

"Please Damon, let her go," she asked him quietly. He tsked softly.

"Now why should I do that, when you were so mean to me earlier?" Scarlett's breath caught in her throat – surely he wasn't saying that he'd kill Vicki because of her earlier comments. Damon's smirk widened as he saw her reaction. Stefan pulled Scarlet behind him, facing up to his older brother.

"Damon, let her go." Damon glanced down at the street.

"Really? Okay." He moved to throw Vicki over the edge, and she screamed, but instead of falling to her death, Damon thrust her at Stefan. He caught her and she cried out pitifully.

"What's happening to me?" she whimpered. Scarlett moved forward and cupped Vicki's face in her hands, looking into her eyes.

"You're going to be okay, I promise," she said softly. Damon looked down at Scarlett and shook his head.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," he said before turning to Stefan. "I don't need her dead, but you might." Scarlett glared up at Damon.

"What are you talking about?" Damon smiled at her, before addressing Vicki.

"What attacked you the other night?" Vicki pulled away from Scarlett and tried to get up, but her body wasn't functioning properly.

"I don't know, an animal," she said, tears streaming down her face. Damon leant down in front of her.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked. "Think, think about it, think really hard. What attacked you?" Scarlett started up at Damon as she realised he was trying to get Vicki to remember her attacker.

"How will that help?" she asked, but Damon ignored her.

"Vampire," Vicki finally said. Scarlett's gaze shot to Vicki. Stefan had told her that he'd compelled Vicki to forget – how was she able to remember?

"Who did this to you?" Damon asked, his voice rising slightly.

"You did!" Vicki yelled back.

"Wrong," Damon said, and Scarlett finally understood what he was doing.

"Don't," she heard Stefan say from behind her. Damon pulled Vicki to her feet and looked deep into her eyes.

"Stefan Salvatore did this to you," he said clearly. Scarlett held her breath as she slowly stood up, unable to believe what was happening. Vicki repeated what Damon said, as if she were in a trance.

"He's a vampire," Damon continued. "A vicious, murderous monster."

"Please, Damon, please don't do this," Stefan begged. Scarlett took a step forward, but Damon's ice blue eyes flew to hers, holding her in place.

"You couldn't fix it before, I don't know what you're going to do now," he said, turning to his brother. Damon ripped the dressing off of Vicki's wound and thrust her at Stefan. "Your choice of lifestyle has made you weak. A couple of vampire parlour tricks?" Scarlett tried to move towards Vicki, tried to pull her away from Stefan, but Damon grabbed her around the waist and held her tightly against his side. She could see the vein's beginning to appear around Stefan's eyes, and knew he was fighting the blood lust.

"It's nothing compared to the power you could have, that you now need." Scarlett struggled against Damon's grip, but he had a vampire's strength and she could not escape. "But you can change that… Human blood gives you that." Stefan was glaring at Damon, but for a split second his eyes gazed into Scarlett's, and he pushed Vicki away from him, doubling over to control his hunger.

"You have two choices," Damon continued, moving closer to Stefan and pulling Scarlett with him. "You can feed, and make her forget, or you can let her run screaming vampire through the town square."

"Why are you doing this? What's it going to achieve?" Scarlett asked quietly. Damon finally turned to her, his blue eyes so close she could see the flecks of grey in them.

"Because I can," he replied simply. "Because it's fun." Scarlett stared at him for a moment longer, before looking away from him in disgust. Stefan was breathing heavily.

"That's what this is about? You wanna expose me?" he asked Damon. Damon finally let Scarlett go and she fell to her knees at Vicki's side, pulling the crying girl into her arms. Her head was on fire from the emotions on the roof, but right at that moment, none of it mattered.

"No, I want you to remember who you are," Damon exclaimed.

"Why?" Stefan asked. "Why, so I'll feed? So I'll kill? So I'll remember what it's like to be brothers again? You know what, let her go. Let her tell everyone that vampires have returned to Mystic Falls. Let them chain me up, and let them drive a stake through my heart, because at least I'll be free of you." Scarlett stared at Stefan in shock. Surely he didn't mean that. Damon let out a short bark of laughter, before approaching Scarlett and Vicki.

"Stay away from her," Scarlett said, her voice surprisingly steady. Damon crouched down until he was at eye level with her, and then looked straight into Scarlett's eyes.

"Do you want her to forget, or not?" he asked. Scarlett hesitated for a moment, before reluctantly letting Vicki go. Damon pulled her into his arms and whispered into her ear as he soothingly stroked her hair. He was so quiet, that even though Scarlett was right next to him, she couldn't hear a word he said. He finally stood up and moved away.

"What happened?" Vicki asked blankly. "Where am I? Argh, I ripped my stitches open." Stefan looked at her, his face full of concern,

"You okay?" he asked.

"I took some pills, man. I'm good." Scarlett helped Vicki stumble to her feet.

"Come on, I'll get you back to Matt," she said quietly.

"Thanks, Scarlett," Vicki said as she leant on the redhead for support.

"Bye Scarlett," Damon said with a smirk. Scarlett glared at him before helping Vicki down the stairs and over to the Grill. They were immediately surrounded by people, Matt at the front.

"Hey guys, give her some room, she's okay," Scarlett called as she sat Vicki in a booth.

"Where did you find her" Matt asked as he inspected his sister.

"Stefan and I found her wandering around – I think she's high, and she's ripped the stitches out of her wound." Matt looked at Scarlett before pulling her into a tight hug.

"Thanks, Scarlett." Scarlett's smile was half hearted.

"Don't mention it, Matt." Scarlett moved over to the table where Caroline and Bonnie were sitting and slumped into a chair.

"Rough night?" Bonnie asked.

"You have no idea," Scarlett replied with a tired sigh. Bonnie smiled sympathetically and pushed her cup of coffee across the table to her friend, who smiled tiredly in thanks. Scarlett saw Stefan walk in a few moments later, just as Matt was applying a new dressing to Vicki's neck.

"Urgh, just so much drama," Caroline said. Bonnie and Scarlett both nodded. "Ever notice how the druggies are the biggest attention whores?" Scarlett rolled her eyes and sipped the cup of coffee Bonnie had passed her.

"Yeah," Bonnie sighed. Just then, Stefan approached their table.

"Excuse me, hi," he said.

"Hi," Bonnie replied. Scarlett just smiled and raised her cup in a toast.

"Have you guys seen Elena?" he asked.

"I think she went home," Bonnie replied. Stefan nodded, a look of disappointment on his face, and was just about to leave when Bonnie called him back.

"I'm gonna give you Elena's cell number, and her email. She's big on texting, and you can tell her I said so," she said as she wrote down Elena's details on a piece of paper.

"Thank you," Stefan said quietly as Bonnie handed over the paper. But as their fingers touched, Bonnie gasped in shock and pulled her hand away from Stefan as though she had been burned. Scarlett felt another rush of energy, the same kind she had felt the night of Vicki's attack, and frowned at her friend. Caroline and Stefan looked at Bonnie, concern on their faces.

"You okay?" he asked her. Bonnie gazed up at him, her eyes wide.

"What happened to you?" she asked softly. She paused, before glancing at Scarlett and starting to get up. "That's so rude, I'm sorry. Excuse me," she said, and Bonnie hurried from the room. Caroline looked up at Stefan curiously.

"Yeah… She kinda, wigs out. It's like her thing." Stefan nodded slowly, before looking at Scarlett.

"You ready to leave?" Scarlett nodded and started to put on her jacket.

"You can't leave me here by myself," Caroline whined, pouting slightly to show her disappointment. Scarlett smiled tiredly.

"The sooner I leave you by yourself, the sooner that mystery guy from the other night can find you." Caroline paused as she considered this, then nodded.

"Alright, you can go. Leave now." Scarlett smiled at her friend before leading Stefan out of the Grill to her car. The ride home was quiet, and Stefan spent most of it staring at Elena's phone number. Scarlett glanced across at him in the passenger seat and smiled to herself.

"Text her." He looked up, his eyes focusing on her as he came out of his thoughts.

"What?" he asked.

"Text Elena, tell her you love her, you miss her, you want her, whatever. Just text her." Stefan smiled sadly.

"I don't think it's going to be that simple." Scarlett sighed.

"It never is, but it's worth a shot," she said quietly. She pulled her car into the drive outside their home, and they made their way into the house. Scarlett looked at her watch – half past midnight.

"I think I'm going to bed," she said, yawning softly. Stefan hugged her and kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight, Scarlett." She smiled and waved before heading upstairs. Scarlett quickly changed into her pyjamas and brushed her teeth, then combed out her hair. She was just about to climb into bed when she noticed a single pale pink peony on her night stand. Scarlett carefully picked it up and raised it to her nose, inhaling the soft, sweet scent. It was beautiful, but Scarlett couldn't help but wonder what Damon would expect from her in the future.

Suddenly wide awake, she crossed over to her window and threw it wide open before settling on the window seat. Scarlett watched the comet pass over head, twirling the delicate flower in her fingers. She heard the door bell ring and smiled, realising Elena had probably made the first move. Eventually she moved back to her bed and climbed in, setting the peony on her night stand where she would see it when she woke. Then she drifted to sleep, a small smile gracing her delicate lips.

* * *

**Well, there's Chapter 2... What do you guys think? Reviews, comments and constructive criticism are all greatly appreciated. I'm currently working on Chapter 3, but you know what they say. The more you review, the more I write... **

**Much love xxx**


	3. Friday Night Bites

**Disclaimer:- I don't own the Vampire Diaries or anything associated with it, but I am lucky enough to own Scarlett. Anyway, here's Chapter 3! I hope you enjoy it...**

* * *

Soft dawn sunlight woke Scarlett from the best night's sleep she had had in weeks. Eyes still closed, she basked for a few moments in the perfect silence of the moment. Once she was fully awake, Scarlett hopped from the bed, pausing to glance at her nightstand. The peony was still there. A small smile touched her lips as she skipped to the bathroom to shower and dress for the day – a denim mini skirt, ankle boots and a dark red blouse. She left her damp hair loose to dry, then made her way to the kitchen.

There were no signs of anyone else being awake. Scarlett hummed quietly to herself as she started making coffee, looking forward to the day. Damon was slowly getting under her skin. She knew that she should be afraid of him, that she should be afraid of the direction in which her thoughts were turning. Yet she couldn't quite make herself fear him the way Zach and Stefan seemed to. She didn't know why, but there was something about the blue eyes vampire that made her feel, if not safe, then certainly not afraid for her life. After all, he had let Vicki go, and he'd done nothing to harm her personally.

"Good morning." Stefan's quiet voice broke Scarlett out of her reverie, and she found herself blushing as she turned to face her godfather.

"Morning, Stefan," she replied quickly. He raised one eyebrow, curious as to the reason for her chipper mood.

"Sleep well?" he asked. Scarlett hurried to the fridge to get milk for her coffee, hiding her face from him in the process.

"Yes, thanks. Did Elena stay long?" she queried, determined to deflect attention from herself as soon as possible. This time it was Stefan's turn to blush.

"Uh, no. Not very long…" He trailed off, reaching up to rub the back of his neck self-consciously. Scarlett smiled into her coffee cup as she took a sip. Zach came in carrying a brown cardboard box tied with string. Nodding to Stefan, he smiled warmly at Scarlett before pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"Did Damon come home last night?" he asked. Scarlett quickly moved to the sink to rinse her mug. She didn't want Zach to see her face - he could always read her like a book.

"I didn't notice," Stefan told him. "Hopefully he decided it was too boring here and left." Scarlett tried to suppress the twinge of disappointment she felt at Stefan's words. She glanced down at her watch – eight fifteen.

"Come on Stefan, we're going to be late." Picking up her books from the counter, she dropped a kiss on Zach's cheek and hurried out to her car. It was another quiet drive. Every time Scarlett glanced at her godfather, he had a small grin on his face. She rolled her eyes as she pulled into the school parking lot before looking around, and immediately saw Elena and Bonnie talking not far away.

"Don't make it too obvious that you're falling for my best friend, Stefan," she teased. His grin was infectious, and the two of them climbed out of the car and made their way over to Elena and Bonnie. Bonnie didn't look too happy.

"Morning," Scarlett called as they approached. Bonnie jumped as she turned to watch them approach.

"Morning Elena, morning Bonnie," Stefan said with a warm smile for them both. Bonnie glanced nervously at him before turning to Elena.

"Hey, I gotta find Caroline. She's not answering her phone, so. … See you guys," she murmured, before she hurried off towards the school.

"Bonnie, wait –." Elena called, trying to call her back but Bonnie ignored her. Scarlett frowned slightly. It wasn't like Bonnie to be so distant, especially not with her and Elena.

"She doesn't like me very much," Stefan said lightly, though Scarlett could hear the hurt in his voice.

"What's not to like," she murmured so softly that only he would be able to hear with his enhanced vampire hearing. He glanced at her, his eyes twinkling. "You know what, I'm gonna go help Bonnie find Caroline. It's not like her to miss school." Elena smiled and hugged her, then Scarlett jogged off in the direction Bonnie had just disappeared.

Scarlett found the young witch standing by her locker, phone to her ear.

"Caroline, it's Bonnie. Where are you? We've got cheerleading practice today. Call me back." Scarlett leant a shoulder against the lockers and tossed her long auburn hair over her shoulder. Bonnie was busying herself getting books for her first class, and effectively ignoring her friend's penetrating stare.

"So...?" Bonnie finally met Scarlett's gaze.

"What?" Scarlett raised one eyebrow at her friend. Bonnie slammed her locker shut and began to hurry to their English class. Jogging to catch up, Scarlett grabbed the young witch's arm and pulled her to a stop.

"Bonnie, what's wrong? You can tell me," she said earnestly. Bonnie shook her head.

"No, Scarlett, I can't. He's your friend-"

"So are you. Just tell me what's wrong." Bonnie glanced around as the halls started to empty.

"I just have this really bad feeling about Stefan, that's all." Scarlett tilted her head slightly to the side. She wondered vaguely if Bonnie's powers had progressed enough for her to be able to sense vampires.

"How bad are we talking, exactly?" she asked casually.

"When I touched his hand, I felt ... well, I felt death. It felt like what I imagine death to be like." Bonnie's voice had dropped to a whisper. Scarlett frowned slightly, her brow furrowing, before she pulled her friend into a brief hug.

"Well, I'm sure Elena can take care of herself, but we'll keep an eye out just in case," she said calmly, pulling away and looking into Bonnie's bright brown eyes. "Stefan's a good guy; I don't think we have anything to worry about." Bonnie sighed and nodded in defeat.

"You're right, I'm probably just being silly," she muttered. Scarlett smiled in return.

"You're just looking out for your best friend, there's nothing wrong with that," Scarlett assured her before glancing down at her watch. "But right now, we have to get to class before we both get detention."

* * *

"World War II ended in ..." Mr Tanner paused and gazed around at the class. Scarlett was gazing absently at her notebook, her mind twisting with images or pale pink peonies and ice blue eyes. "Anyone got anything? Miss Wan?" There was a pause as the girl shook her head. "1945," Tanner finished, his voice laced with disappointment. Glancing to her left, Scarlett saw Elena lean back to speak to Stefan, who was currently tapping his foot against the leg of Scarlett's chair.

"FYI, our team sucks, they could use you," the brunette whispered to Scarlett's godfather. Scarlett twisted ever so slightly in her seat and caught Elena's gaze with her own.

"Can't - I'm a loner," Stefan replied, and Scarlett let out a quick snort of laughter.

"Something amusing, Miss Williams?" Scarlett's eyes flew to the history teacher's. He was gazing at her expectantly, his head tilted slightly to one side.

"No, I just sneezed," she replied quietly. Tanner's gaze hardened at her blatant lie.

"Well, perhaps you could tell me when Pearl Harbour was?" Scarlett glanced down at her notebook, hoping to find an answer there, but there was nothing. She knew it was in the 1940's, but she had never been good at remembering precise dates. Evidently she had paused for too long, because Mr Tanner moved quickly on to Elena.

"Miss Gilbert? Pearl Harbour?"

"Erm ..." Elena glanced at Scarlett, her face blank, but the redhead simply shrugged her shoulders in response.

"December 7th, 1941." Stefan's voice saved both girls from having to answer, and they turned to smile at him.

"Thank you, Miss Gilbert," Tanner said sarcastically. Quiet laughter rose around the room, and Stefan smiled slightly.

"Anytime," he said. Scarlett tensed as she felt Tanner's mood shift from annoyance to competitiveness. Things were about to get ugly. She slid down slightly in her seat and tilted her head so that her auburn hair cascaded over her shoulder, effectively blocking her face from sight.

"Very well," Tanner said quietly. "The fall of the Berlin Wall?"

"1989," Stefan replied instantly. "I'm good with dates, sir."

"Are you? How good?" Tanner glanced around the class, a small smile raising the corners of his mouth. "Keep it to the year. Civil Rights Act."

"1964."

"John F Kennedy assassination."

"1963." Tanner slowly began to advance on Stefan as he shot date after date at the vampire.

"Martin Luther King."

"68."

"Lincoln."

"1865."

"Roe versus Wade."

"1973."

"Brown versus Board."

"1954."

"The Battle of Gettysburg."

"1863."

"The Korean War."

"1950 to 1953."

"Ha!" Scarlett jumped in her seat at Tanner's exclamation, and glanced up at him. "It ended in '52." He chuckled and began to turn away, but Stefan's voice stopped him.

"Uh, actually, sir, it was '53," Stefan said assuredly. Scarlett frowned at Mr Tanner – he looked ready to hit something, or someone.

"Look it up somebody," he said coldly. Scarlett drew her phone from her pocket and searched the internet for the answer. "Quickly."

"It was ... 1953," she said into the tense classroom. A burst of applause followed her announcement, but Scarlett couldn't make herself smile. She could sense the animosity radiating from Mr Tanner, and all she wanted to do was get as far away from him and that classroom as possible. As the clapping died down, she raised a hand.

"Mr Tanner, may I go to the nurse?" He nodded absently as he returned to the front of the class to continue the lesson. Scarlett hurried to pack her books away and slung her bag onto her shoulder. She could feel Stefan and Elena's curious gazes on her, but she didn't look back as she left the room and strode down the empty hallway.

Despite what she told Mr Tanner, she didn't go to the nurse. Instead, she headed towards the music department, where she knew there would be an empty auditorium with a piano. Scarlett's mother had been the first one to notice her talent at music, and had enrolled her in piano and singing lessons at the age of seven. Now, they were a means of escape; a way of leaving behind the pain of reality, and simply being herself.

Scarlett opened the door to the darkened auditorium, and flipped on the light switch. Bright spotlights illuminated the stage and the set decoration for the drama class's last performance of Shakespeare's 'Much Ado About Nothing'. She headed across the stage to the grand piano and quickly seated herself at it, dropping her bag on the floor. The room was completely silent, save for the sound of her gentle breathing and the pounding of her headache. Scarlett pulled her auburn tresses into a loose bun at the nape of her neck, then caressed the black and white keys of the piano with her long, delicate fingers.

Taking a deep breath, she counted to four and began to play. A soft, sad melody filled the room, weaving a melancholy spell as Scarlett's fingers deftly coaxed sound from the piano. Time seemed to stand still, and she forgot everything around her, lost in the moment. Her headache receeded, and she slowly managed to put up the barriers around her mind. After a few minutes, her fingers finally stilled on the keys and the air of the auditorium hummed with the final strains of music. Opening her eyes, Scarlett smiled slightly and sighed. Her headache was completely gone.

"Shostakovich." A voice from behind startled her, and she jumped to her feet, causing the piano stool to fall over. "It's just me," Stefan said as he walked into the light of the stage. Scarlett laughed faintly, relieved that it was only her godfather.

"I thought Bon Jovi was more your thing," she quipped as he stopped in front of her. His lips turned up at the corners and he chuckled.

"Being as old as I am means I have a somewhat ... eclectic taste in music," he replied. "I remember going to the first live performance of that concerto, it was incredible."

"I can imagine," Scarlett said quietly as she picked up her bag, and the two of them walked slowly out of the auditorium. The bell had rung for the end of school, so they made their way towards the football pitch where cheerleading practice was taking place.

"Another headache?" Stefan asked, his voice filled with concern. Scarlett nodded absently as she gazed at the players getting ready for football practice to begin.

"Nothing I can't handle," she assured him. Stefan pulled her to a stop and looked into her eyes, searching them for any sign that she was lying to him, before nodding in acceptance.

"Elena wanted me to ask you over to hers for dinner tonight."

"Sounds good, who else is going?" Scarlett replied as they continued walking.

"Just you, me, Elena ... and Bonnie," Stefan said. It was Scarlett's turn to stop and she stared up at him in confusion.

"Has Bonnie agreed to this?" she asked. Stefan shook his head.

"Elena said she'd ask her at cheer practice."

"So this is a get the best friend to like the boyfriend dinner, then?" Scarlett asked, a wide grin forming on her full lips. Stefan blushed slightly and rubbed the back of his neck self consciously.

"Something like that," he muttered. Scarlett giggled before walking off towards the cheerleaders.

"Then I predict that by the end of this evening, Bonnie will love you!" she called over her shoulder. Once she reached the cheerleaders, Scarlett found Elena and Bonnie and sat next to them as they stretched.

"You're here!" Bonnie said happily and Scarlett smiled in response.

"Not to join up again. I promised Caroline I'd find her some good music for your new routine." Bonnie and Elena's faces dropped slightly, but it didn't dim their mood for long.

"You're both coming to dinner tonight," Elena announced. Scarlett smirked at her while Bonnie smiled, oblivious to her friends plan.

"We are?" she asked.

"Mhmm. You, me, Scarlett and Stefan." Scarlett glanced at Bonnie to judge her reaction – it wasn't promising. Elena noticed it as well, and immediately set about convincing her friend to come. "You have to give him a chance."

"Tonight's no good," Bonnie whined. Elena and Scarlett both stared at Bonnie. "Have you seen Caroline? I've texted her like, a hundred times."

"Don't change the subject, Bonnie Bennett," Scarlett said firmly, her smile softening her voice. "We're both going to be there, and we're all going to have fun." Bonnie sighed in defeat.

"Fine, I'll go," she said. Elena grinned at Scarlett and high-fived her, before continuing to stretch. Scarlett dug a CD out of her bag and twirled it in her fingers while the three girls chatted, waiting for Caroline to make an appearance. Ten minutes passed, and there was still no sign of their blonde friend.

"Seriously, where is Caroline?" Bonnie asked, her voice laced with concern and annoyance. Scarlett could just about sense the growing anxiety for the absent cheer captain among the other girls, and shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know, but it's not like her to be late," she replied.

"I'll try her again," Bonnie said and she reached for her phone. Elena frowned at something behind Bonnie, and Scarlett glanced over her shoulder to see what was bothering her friend. A classic blue sports car had pulled up a few feet away, music blaring from the stereo. The driver was someone that Scarlett recognised all too well.

"Oh my God," Bonnie said softly. The three girls all stared at the blonde as she leant across the car and kissed the driver soundly on the mouth. "That must be the mystery guy from the Grill."

"That's not a mystery guy," Elena muttered cautiously, glancing at Scarlett who was glaring silently at the occupants of the car. "That's Damon Salvatore." The three girls stood up and Scarlett slung her bag over her shoulder.

"Salvatore? As in Stefan?" Bonnie asked, sounding both shocked and worried. Elena nodded in confirmation, then tilted her head towards Scarlett, drawing Bonnie's attention to the redhead. Her expression was unreadable, but her dark blue eyes were blazing. Caroline hopped out of the car and sauntered over to her friends, looking at Scarlett over the top of her sunglasses.

"I got the other brother - hope you don't mind." Scarlett tensed at the deliberate dig from her friend, and took a deep breath through her nose to calm her emotions. She could see Damon over Caroline's shoulder, smirking at her obvious discomfort. Caroline moved towards the cheerleaders and dropped her bag near the stereo. "Sorry I'm late girls, I was … busy." Elena and Bonnie glanced at each other nervously. They had never seen Scarlett this angry.

"Scarlett, have you got the music?" Caroline's voice penetrated Scarlett's stare off with Damon, who still hadn't driven away. Squaring her shoulders, she turned to the blonde and thrust the cd into her hands.

"Yeah, I found the sluttiest tracks I could, especially for you Care." Her smile was acidic as she turned and walked away, murmuring a quiet, "I'll see you tonight," to Elena and Bonnie as she left. Scarlett could feel Damon's eyes following her as she strode towards the car park, but she refused to turn around. What was his problem? How could he be so nice to her one minute, and then flaunt Caroline in her face the next. She retrieved her phone from her bag and sent Stefan a quick text telling him she was leaving, before climbing into her car and hitting the road.

She didn't know where she was going until she pulled up in front of Mystic Falls Cemetery. Scarlett was silent as she made her way through the graves, glancing at the names of people she knew. Soon enough she stopped before a slightly weathered white headstone. _'Tara Williams, Beloved mother and friend, Rest In Peace.' _Crouching down, Scarlett carefully brushed away a few autumn leaves that had drifted onto her mother's grave. It had been nearly a month since she had come here, but nothing had changed. And yet everything had changed.

A loud cawing from above startled her, and Scarlett nearly fell over as she turned to see the crow sat in the tree next to her. She glared silently at it.

"Piss off, Damon," she whispered, before turning back to her mum's grave. She never understood why Elena felt so comfortable sitting in the graveyard. The very idea of being so close to dead bodies made the hairs on Scarlett's arms stand on end. She stole a quick glance at her watch before returning to her car and driving back to the Boarding House. Stefan was just arriving as she pulled up.

"I got your text, is everything okay?" he asked, concern evident in everything from his eyes to his posture. Scarlett nodded absently as she walked up the stairs to her bedroom.

"Fine. I'm going to get ready, see you later," was all she said before Stefan lost sight of her.

* * *

Damon strolled into Stefan's bedroom while his brother was in the bathroom and promptly sat himself at the desk, propping his feet on top of an assortment of papers. He began absently riffling through one of Stefan's journals while he thought about how successful the day had been, a smile smirk curving his lips. Caroline had proven to be a perfect blood bag to satisfy his cravings - the fact that Scarlett was obviously jealous was just an extra added bonus. He hadn't seen a woman that angry since Katherine was around, and it was good to know that he was still capable of ruffling a few feathers.

Damon took a small sip from his glass of bourbon just as Stefan entered the room, pulling a black long sleeved t-shirt over his head.

"How were try outs?" he asked snidely. "Did you make the team?" Stefan was silent as he glared at his older brother, who was still flipping through one of his journals. "Very Emerson, the way you reveal your soul in so many…" Before Damon could finish, Stefan flew across the room and snatched the leather bound tome from his hand. "… Adjectives."

"What are you doing here?" Stefan asked, his voice tinged with annoyance. Damon's face lost its trademark smirk as he sat forward, clasping his hands and resting his elbows on his knees. He gazed at Stefan seriously for a moment before speaking.

"I've come to apologise. I've been doing some thinking, some … soul searching, and … I want us to start over." Stefan stared at his older brother, confused at this apparent U-turn in Damon's attitude. "We need to put the past behind us," Damon emphasised as he stood up and moved around the desk to stand beside Stefan. "You're my little brother, and if you want to live a normal, happy human life, then I want that for you. And maybe I can do it too, and I can learn to be a non-living, living person. Maybe there's hope for both of us."

Stefan stared hardened but his face remained expressionless as he listened to Damon talk. There was a brief pause while the two brothers assessed each other but Damon, who always found it impossible to keep a straight face around his brother, soon burst out laughing. Stefan, he decided, was just too fun to play with. He walked slowly away from his brother, patting Stefan hard on the back and chuckling softly to himself, laughing at his own joke.

"You know, it doesn't have to be this way, Damon," Stefan said seriously from behind him. Damon turned around and raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Of course it doesn't," Damon replied. He reached forward and picked up one of the many souvenirs of Stefan's travels which littered the room, twirling it in his fingers as he continued. "I saw Elena today BTW, that means by the way. She was at cheerleading practice. She looked so perky in her little short shorts…" Damon trailed off, smirking at Stefan who was gritting his teeth and looked ready to punch him - Damon knew he could do one better. "Scarlett was there too. God, that girl's got a great pair of legs." Stefan took a small, threatening step forward. "Simmer down, I didn't even go near her. I've got my own cheerleader now. "Ooh, that reminds me," Damon glanced down at his watch. "I've gotta run, I have a date. Sweaty palms, wish me luck."

Just as Damon was backing out of Stefan's room, he felt a small figure collide with his back and instantly tensed at the smell of jasmine and spice that was becoming so familiar to him. He turned on the spot and smirked down at Scarlett, his light blue eyes twinkling. His gaze raked her petite form, clad in a knee length emerald green tea dress, her long auburn tresses tumbling haphazardly down her back, all the way down to the black ballet flats on her dainty feet.

"Well Scarlett, you're looking particularly delicious this evening," he said charmingly. Scarlett raised one delicately arched eyebrow before walking straight past him into Stefan's room without so much as a 'hello', then slammed the door shut with a resounding bang. Damon's smirk turned into a frown. Maybe dropping Caroline off at cheer practice hadn't been his best plan … He shook his head and walked to his room to change. Just because Caroline was only his fake girlfriend, didn't mean he could go out looking less than incredibly sexy. Who knew what might happen?

* * *

Scarlett groaned as she threw herself down on the sofa in Stefan's room. Her godfather smiled slightly at her actions as he continued to get ready for the evening, leaving Scarlett to her own devices. She lay on her back, staring up at the dark wooden beams of the roof and tilted her head to one side.

"You know Stefan, you should put some fairy-lights up on those beams, like I have in my room." Stefan paused in pulling on his jacket.

"Fairy-lights? Don't you think they're a bit … feminine for my room?" Scarlett sat up and pouted in disappointment before leading the way to the stairs. They passed Damon's room on the way downstairs, and Scarlett scowled when she heard him whistling a random tune. Stefan didn't comment on her reaction as they climbed into Scarlett's car and pulled onto the main road.

"So, are you nervous?" Scarlett eventually asked, when the silence became too much for her to handle. Stefan smiled slightly when she glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

"A little. I want to make this easy for Elena." Scarlett nodded in understanding as she pulled up outside the Gilbert house. Before getting out of the car, she turned to her godfather and smiled brightly.

"Bonnie is going to love you, okay? Just be your usual, charming self and you'll have her eating out of the palm of your hand." Scarlett's optimism was infectious, and Stefan found himself grinning as they climbed out of the black 4x4 and walked up the path to Elena's front porch. Scarlett rang the doorbell, and they only had to wait a few minutes before Elena answered the door, her eyes immediately finding Stefan.

"Hey, you made it," she said breathlessly. Scarlett rolled her eyes slightly at her friend, while Stefan just smiled and nodded.

"Of course we made it, I know how to get to your house Elena," Scarlett said, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she walked in and hugged her friend briefly before leaving the new couple in the hallway to talk. She found Bonnie in the kitchen and was instantly bombarded by the young witch's fear. Scarlett paused to control the surge of emotions, gripping onto the doorframe to keep herself from stumbling. Bonnie frowned and hurried around the centre island to Scarlett's side, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Scarlett, are you okay?" she asked quietly. The redhead nodded brusquely and smiled, her lips tight, before hugging the witch warmly.

"I'm fine, just a little dizzy spell." Bonnie didn't look convinced, but was prevented from commenting when Stefan and Elena joined them in the kitchen, smiling gently at each other. Elena retrieved the salad bowl from the kitchen and placed it on the dining table, while Scarlett got a bottle of Coke out of the fridge and filled the four glasses on the table.

"Shall we eat?" Elena asked cheerfully, and the four teens sat down, Scarlett purposefully placing Bonnie beside Stefan, and dug into their meal.

Half an hour later, and things were not looking good. The silence in the room was deafening. Scarlett had resorted to pushing the pasta on her plate around with her fork just to make some noise. She glanced across the table at Elena, who was staring at her, urging her to start a conversation. Scarlett sat up straighter in her chair and cleared her throat to get Stefan and Bonnie's attention.

"Elena, this pasta is delicious. Can I have your recipe?" she asked, hoping that she'd picked a safe topic to talk about. Bonnie snorted a laugh into her drink.

"Sure, ask the chef at the Grill," she said quietly. Elena glared at Bonnie, and Scarlett chuckled nervously, glancing at Stefan to see him looking extremely uncomfortable. They lapsed into yet another silence, casting furtive glances at each other, silently begging someone to start a conversation. Elena took a deep breath before turning to Stefan.

"Did Tanner give you a hard time today?" she asked. Stefan put down his fork before replying.

"Well, he let me on the team, so … I must've done something right." Scarlett smiled and glanced at Bonnie, who looked less than impressed. Elena, not noticing the brunette's discomfort, turned to her with a grin.

"Bonnie, you should have seen Stefan today. Tyler threw a ball right at him and –"

"Yeah, I heard," Bonnie cut her off. Scarlett kicked Bonnie under the table, causing the brunette to glare heatedly at her. Scarlett ignored the witch, taking a sip of her drink before turning to Bonnie.

"Why don't you tell Stefan about your family?" she said. Bonnie's glare intensified for a moment before she turned to Stefan with a tight smile.

"Um, divorced. No mum, live with my dad." Stefan nodded in order to look interested.

"I think Scarlett meant about the witches," Elena added helpfully. Stefan's gaze shot briefly to Elena before he looked at Scarlett, who was smiling encouragingly at Bonnie.

"Bonnie's family has a lineage of witches, it's really cool," Scarlett told Stefan.

"Cool isn't the word I'd use," Bonnie interrupted, shaking her head at Scarlett. Scarlett glanced at Stefan and nodded imperceptibly, sure that he'd pick it up with his vampire vision.

"Well it's certainly interesting," he said slowly, drawing Bonnie's attention to him. "I'm not too versed, but I do know that there's a history of Celtic druid's that migrated here in the eighteen hundreds."

"My family came by way of Salem," Bonnie clarified. Stefan seemed to visibly perk up at that, and Scarlett smiled knowingly.

"Really?" he asked. Bonnie smiled, embarrassed, and nodded. "Salem witches?"

"Yeah," Bonnie replied with a nervous laugh.

"I'd say that's pretty cool," Stefan said animatedly, glancing between Elena and Scarlett who were both smiling.

"Really? Why?" Bonnie asked. Scarlett could feel Bonnie's hesitance, her need for acceptance. Even if she didn't realise that she was a witch, Scarlett knew that Bonnie wanted it to be a good thing, something to be proud of. Stefan looked straight into Bonnie's eyes as he replied.

"Salem witches are heroic examples of individualism and nonconformity." Bonnie smiled, this time a real smile, and Scarlett felt her friend's nerves melt away to be replaced with hope. In her head, she did her happy dance.

"Yeah they are," Bonnie said happily. Elena glanced at Scarlett and the redhead winked at her – the plan was working. Scarlett quickly excused herself to go to the bathroom. As soon as she had shut the door to Elena and Jeremy's shared bathroom, she heard the doorbell ring downstairs. Scarlett washed her hands and quickly ran a brush through her waist length hair before re-joining her friends.

"Well, look who it is." Scarlett froze on the stairs, one hand resting on the bannister as she stared at the current bane of her life and his new girlfriend.

"What are you doing here, Damon?" Scarlett asked coldly. She could see Elena, Stefan and Bonnie staring at her from the corner of her eye, but her gaze was fixed on the dark haired vampire at the foot of the stairs.

"Caroline and I bought dessert, hope you don't mind." Damon's voice was flippant as he smirked up at her, his eyes silently daring her to complain. Elena stepped forward slightly, her gaze flitting between Damon and Scarlett as they stared silently at each other.

"Scarlett, if Damon being here is a problem …" Caroline started to voice a complaint, but Scarlett shook her head slightly. Elena had no idea what she had done when she allowed Damon to enter her house, but there was nothing that Scarlett could do about it now.

"No problem at all," she said quietly, walking the last few steps down the stairs. "I'll get plates." She took the cake box from Caroline's hands and hurried into the kitchen, ignoring the triumphant gleam in Damon's eyes. She was tired of playing his game, whatever that game was. Elena came into the kitchen behind her and placed a hand on her back in support before the two of them got to work serving the cake and making coffee.

"Seriously, Scarlett, are you okay with Damon being here?" Elena asked quietly as she got forks out of a drawer. The redhead smiled before she replied, knowing full well that the vampires in the house would be able to hear her no matter how quiet her voice is.

"Sure, I'm absolutely fine with being forced to spend time with a first rate asshole," she said as she put extra sugar into Damon's coffee just to annoy him. Elena, having finished sharing out the cake, leant a hip against the counter and watched her friend with a worried gaze. She made no comment as Scarlett added four more spoonful's of sugar to Damon's already over sweet coffee and stirred vigorously.

"He's only been in town for a few days, what can he possibly have done to make you react like this?" Scarlett sighed heavily as she placed the coffee mugs on a tray.

"Nothing, I guess. He just … he really gets on my nerves," she finished lamely. Elena frowned as she got milk from the fridge.

"You can't read him, can you?" Scarlett's head shot up and her eyes widened.

"What did you say?" she asked nervously. Not noticing her friend's reaction, Elena shrugged as she poured milk into the steaming cups of coffee.

"You've just always been so good at reading people. Maybe it frustrates you that Damon isn't so easy to understand." Scarlett's gaze lowered to the kitchen counter as she pondered Elena's words. Since he had arrived, she hadn't really tried to understand Damon. She'd been too busy trying to keep up with his mind tricks to give any thought to finding out what he was really like.

"Maybe you're right," she murmured. Elena smiled slightly, and the two girls carried the cake and coffee into the living room, handing it out before sitting down. Scarlett sat on the floor next to Bonnie's chair, as far away from Damon as she could get. When he caught her eye, he smiled and toasted her with his coffee mug before taking a sip. Scarlett had to stifle a laugh at his expression when he forced himself to swallow the sugary beverage. There was silence as they all ate dessert, but in true Caroline fashion, the blonde couldn't stay quiet for long.

"I cannot believe that Mr Tanner let you on the team, Tyler must be seething! But good for you, go for it." Scarlett and Bonnie glanced at each other and rolled their eyes simultaneously. The redhead was secretly quite happy – it seemed that Stefan now had another person fighting his corner in the form of Bonnie Bennett.

"That's what I always tell him," Damon chipped in. "You have to engage. You can't just sit there and wait for life to come to you, you have to go get it." He glanced across at Scarlett and saw her sniggering quietly with Bonnie.

"Yeah, Elena wasn't so lucky today," Caroline said absently. "It's only because you missed summer camp. I don't know how you're ever going to learn the routine…"

"I'm sure Bonnie wouldn't mind working with her," Scarlett said sharply in Elena's defence.

"Of course, she'll get it," Bonnie added.

"I guess we could put her in the back…" Caroline continued as if she hadn't even heard Scarlett's words. Elena shifted uncomfortably on the sofa and Scarlett shot her a sympathetic smile.

"You know, you don't seem like the cheerleader type, Elena," Damon said, tilting his head questioningly to one side. Before Elena could reply, Caroline had already started answering his query.

"It's just cos her parents died. I mean, yeah, she's just totally going through a blah phase. She used to be way more fun."

"Caroline, that's really inappropriate," said Scarlett as she placed her empty mug on the coffee table. Her head was starting to pound from the amount of tension in the room.

"Don't even get me started on you, Scarlett," Caroline burst out. "Your mum drops dead two years ago and you just forget about everything – cheerleading, friends, socialising. I mean, come on, life goes on. Deal with it already." She paused and blinked slowly, as if only just realising what she had said. "And I say that with complete sensitivity…" she finished quietly. Scarlett was practically choking on emotions; her own hurt as well as Elena and Bonnie's anger at Caroline's outburst. She needed to get away. She needed to breathe.

"I'm going to do the dishes," she said softly as she rose shakily to her feet. Elena started to rise as well.

"I'll help – "

"No Elena, you stay. I'll be fine." Scarlett just about managed a smile before she picked up the stack of plates on the coffee table and hurried to the kitchen. She barely heard Bonnie rebuke Caroline for her comments, or Damon mention Katherine while she concentrated on forcing back the tidal wave of emotion that threatened to consume her. Her long fingers gripped the kitchen counter and she closed her eyes, concentrating on her breathing as the storm slowly subsided.

Once she had calmed down, Scarlett focused on rinsing the dishes and placing them in the dishwasher, humming softly to herself as she worked. She leant over to put a plate in then stood up, sweeping her hair over one shoulder.

"One more," Damon said as he entered the kitchen, waving a glass in his hand. Scarlett smiled slightly as he walked towards her.

"Thank you." She reached out to take the glass from Damon's hand, but it slipped through her fingers. She gasped, sure it was going to break, but Damon's hand flashed out and caught it before the glass had fallen more than a few inches. Scarlett giggled slightly as he handed her the glass.

"Nice save … for a vampire," she teased, whispering the last part so that only he would hear it. Damon gazed at her for a moment, studying her, then smiled slightly.

"You should laugh more often. It suits you. It makes me want to laugh, and that hasn't happened in a very long time." He leaned back against the counter and folded his arms across his chest. Scarlett raised a single eyebrow slightly and smirked at him.

"You, serious? Never." Damon chuckled softly at her joke and watched as she rinsed the glass in the sink. He shifted slightly, drawing Scarlett's attention back to him.

"About what Caroline said earlier…" Scarlett shook her head slightly to stop him continuing.

"Forget it, Damon. I'm used to it – Caroline has always been a talk first think later kind of girl." They stood quietly for a few moments, and Damon took the time to gaze at Scarlett's profile as she finished doing the dishes. Her long, full lashes swept against her cheeks every time she blinked, and as he started at her a light pink tinge rose on her cheeks, bringing with it the intoxicating smell of her blood. Scarlett turned her head to face Damon, her dark blue eyes intense as she chewed her full bottom lip.

"Did I hear you talking about Katherine earlier?" She went to put another plate in the dishwasher and Damon took it from her hand, their fingers brushing slightly, before placing it with the others.

"Mhmm," he murmured in confirmation.

"How did she die?" Scarlett asked softly. "Stefan never told me…" Damon hesitated momentarily before answering.

"In a fire … A tragic fire." Scarlett frowned slightly.

"Recently? I mean, in my lifetime recently?"

"Seems like it was yesterday," Damon answered cryptically. Scarlett put another plate into the dishwasher, her eyes never leaving Damon's.

"What was she like?" Damon glanced away, seemingly to gather his thoughts, before turning back to Scarlett.

"She was beautiful, a lot like Elena in that department." Scarlett felt a hollow feeling in her chest at his words. She had never seen a picture of Katherine, but if she was anything like Elena then she would have been stunning, and Scarlett wouldn't stand a chance with Damon. _Wait, what? _Casting that thought out of her mind, she concentrated on Damon's voice as he continued. "She was also very complicated, and selfish, and at times not very kind, but very sexy and seductive."

"Out of curiosity, which one of you dated her first?" Scarlett asked as she handed Damon another plate. He smirked at her before taking the plate.

"Was that deduction, or did Stefan already tell you his story?"

"Actually, my mum told me that you both dated her. But you haven't answered my question," she said, determined to hear what he said. Damon chuckled faintly as he placed the last plate in the dishwasher.

"Ask Stefan – I'm sure his answer differs from mine," he said as he closed the dishwasher and stood up. Scarlett stepped closer to him.

"I'm not asking Stefan, I'm asking you." Damon's pale blue eyes bored into hers.

"Why?" Scarlett hesitated. Her answer now could change everything; she needed it to be the right one, and from the look in his eyes, Damon needed it too.

"I don't know you Damon, but I believe that everyone deserves a chance," she said carefully. "I want to give you a chance." Damon was silent when she finished, so Scarlett moved to the counter and started folding place mats. After a few moments, Damon sat on the barstool next to her and began to help, piling the mats on top of hers.

"Don't let Caroline bully you into re-joining the cheerleaders," he said suddenly. Scarlett glanced up at him from under her lashes.

"Why not?"

"Because you'll be miserable, and misery is not conducive to you laughing more." Scarlett giggled, her eyes gleaming.

"I used to love it … Then my mum died, and it didn't seem to matter anymore. Nothing seemed to matter." Damon placed a hand over Scarlett's, the warmth from his palm seeping into her skin. She glanced up and was caught by the honesty in his lightly blue gaze.

"Some things still matter, Scar, but if others don't then don't let them bother you, move on."

"Some things could matter again," Scarlett murmured, her pulse jumping at Damon's new nickname for her and the gentle touch of his thumb brushing the back of her hand.

"Maybe," he said dismissively. "But … That seems a little unrealistic to me." Scarlett slowly withdrew her hand, instantly missing the contact, and gazed at her fingers as she pondered his words.

"I'm sorry," she finally said, looking up at him. Damon eyed her curiously, confused by her off topic comment. "About Katherine. You lost her too." Scarlett watched as his expression softened, and for the first time since they had met, his eyes joined his lips as he smiled cautiously up at her. It seemed to Scarlett that they had reached some kind of understanding. Before anything else could be said, Elena and Bonnie entered.

"Do you guys need some help?" Bonnie asked brightly, oblivious to the atmosphere in the room. Scarlett smiled at her friends while Damon nodded."

"Why not?" he said cheerfully. Glancing at him from the corner of her eye, Scarlett could see that Damon's mask had returned. Whatever glimpse of the real him she had just seen had once more been buried under his veneer of charm. "I'm going to save my girl from my brother," he said as he stood up and left the girls to finish tidying up in the kitchen. Elena moved around the counter to Scarlett's side and examined her from top to toe.

"Well, I didn't hear any screaming, and there are no visible cuts or bruises…" she joked, causing Bonnie and Scarlett to laugh. "I take it you two sorted thing out?"

"You were right, Elena," Scarlett said. "Damon is a hard man to read." She smiled at her friends and they both nodded, satisfied that she was okay, then began to clear away the leftovers.

A few minutes later, Caroline entered the kitchen with a nervous smile. Scarlett levelled a chilling glare at her, before proceeding to completely ignore the blonde. The silence from dinner returned tenfold as the four girls stood awkwardly around the kitchen counter.

"Look, I'm sorry!" Caroline cried. Scarlett, Bonnie and Elena all jumped at the sudden outburst. "I'm sorry that I said that about your mum, Scarlett. It was horrible, and I know that. You know I loved your mum, she was always so cool. I just … I miss you. We used to be best friends, and I feel like I don't see you anymore since you quit the squad…" Scarlett smiled slightly at Caroline's speech. She was right, they didn't see as much of each other as they had before Scarlett's mother had died. Who's fault that was, she didn't know, but she wasn't going to start handing out blame.

"It's alright, Care. I know you didn't mean it," she said quietly. Caroline grinned and rushed around the counter to hug her friend, wrapping her arms tightly around Scarlett's slender frame.

"Okay, can't breathe Caroline," Scarlett chocked out. The blonde eventually let go and the girls laughed cheerfully.

"So, does this mean you'll come back to cheerleading?" Caroline asked hopefully.

"I'll think about it," Scarlett said evasively, causing Caroline to squeal excitedly as Damon and Stefan entered the kitchen.

"Caroline, it's time to go," Damon said quickly, his usual lazy smirk curling his lips. Caroline nodded and ran to the hall to get her coat. "Thank you for a wonderful evening, Elena." Damon turned his gaze to Scarlett and he winked at her. "I'll see you and my brother at home." With that, he turned on his heel and ushered Caroline out of the front door.

"We should head out as well," Scarlett said, turning to Stefan. He nodded and led the way to the hallway. They all said their goodbyes then Stefan and Scarlett walked to her car and she drove them back to the Boarding House. Scarlett went straight up to her room and got ready for bed, untangling the chain of her necklace from her hair and placing it on her nightstand. She climbed in to bed and was soon fast asleep.

* * *

_Sunlight streamed through the voile curtains at Scarlett's window as she sat on her bed in her pyjamas, writing a report on the American Civil War for Mr Tanner. A quiet knock sounded on her bedroom door – a welcome distraction._

_"Come in," she called. The door opened and Damon stepped into her room, his sky blue eyes blazing as he started intently at her face. "Damon, what –" In a moment he was beside her on the bed, his lips pressed firmly against hers as his hand cupped the nape of her neck, drawing her closer. Scarlett's eyes fluttered closed as she hesitantly kissed him back. His lips were gentle, coaxing, learning hers with every movement. _

_Slowly, he pushed her back against the mattress, settling himself at her side, one arm behind her shoulders, the other stroking her cheek. His fingers traced against her cheekbone before gliding down her neck to her arm, barely touching her hot skin. Scarlett gasped as Damon's hand cupped her breast, and he immediately took advantage of her parted lips, deepening the kiss, stoking the fire in her belly. His lips finally left hers to trail soft kisses along her jaw and down her neck. He kissed her pulse once before plunging his fangs deep into her flesh and –_

* * *

Scarlett sat bolt upright in bed, gasping for air as her heart beat furiously in her chest. Her skin tingled as she reached up to her neck, feeling the unblemished skin over her frantic pulse. Her wide blue eyes flew around the room, searching the shadows. What was wrong with her? Why was she dreaming about Damon? Damon, who Stefan said was evil incarnate. Damon, Caroline's boyfriend. Damon, who could flip the switch between being sweet and being cruel as easily as turning on a light.

Brushing her tangled hair back from her face, Scarlett pushed the duvet off and stood on shaky legs. She reached for the glass on her nightstand and slowly traipsed to the bathroom for a drink of water. Outside her bedroom window, a large black crow watched her for a moment, before taking off in to the moonlit night.

Scarlett didn't get back to sleep that night. Instead, she pulled on a pair of shorts and her old running shoes. She needed to get out of the house, to clear her head. It was still too early to play the piano – she didn't want to wake anyone up – so running was her next best option. She took a route through the forest that she knew well, leading up to the old Fell cemetery. It was one of those creepy cemeteries that everyone in town said was haunted. Apparently late at night you could hear the sound of people breathing.

On her way back, Scarlett moved much slower, dreading the moment when she would have to look Damon in the eye. How was she supposed to act normally around him after last night's dream? It felt so real… She entered the Boarding House as quietly as possible, tiptoeing up the stairs to her bedroom. Closing her bedroom door with a soft click, she turned to see her old cheerleading uniform laid out neatly on her bed.

"Caroline asked me to give you that." Scarlett's gaze snapped towards the corner of the room where she saw Damon leaning casually against her desk, his arms folded across his chest.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice coming out much weaker than she had hoped. Damon smirked and held his hands out innocently.

"Just trying to be a good housemate." Scarlett scoffed as she moved further into her room, pulling her hair out of its loose braid.

"Yeah right, and what's the real reason?" Damon pushed himself off the desk and stalked slowly towards her, shaking his head in disappointment.

"Scarlett, Scarlett … What happened? We were getting on so well last night…" He trailed off and Scarlett took a deep breath as she felt her cheeks start to burn. He couldn't know about her dream, it was impossible, it was … A glint of silver flickered in the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she saw her locket resting on her night stand. Her vervain filled locket. Scarlett felt anger welling up inside her. She glared up at Damon, whose expression changed from cheerful to confused in a matter of seconds, and shoved him hard in the chest. The dark haired vampire stumbled back slightly, more in surprise than due to her strength.

"You complete and utter asshole!" Scarlett cried. "How dare you think you can come in here and mess with my head." The signature smirk returned to Damon's lips.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," he said mockingly. Scarlett stepped forward and shoved him again, but this time he didn't move.

"I know you messed with my dream last night, Damon," she growled. Damon's smirk widened and his eyes twinkled mischievously down at her.

"Dreaming about me, are you Scar? If you want, I can make your dreams a reality –"

"Get out before I stake you." Damon bowed to her, flourishing his hand, before sauntering out of the room and snapping the door closed behind him. Scarlett took several deep breaths to calm down before getting ready for the rally. Once she had showered and dressed in a denim skirt, flats and a Foo Fighters t-shirt, she picked up her locket and placed it firmly around her neck. Damon wouldn't be getting back into her head anytime soon.

* * *

Stefan left for the rally earlier than Scarlett, so by the time she arrived, the party was already in full swing. She wandered around for a few minutes, making idle conversation with a few of her friends, before spotting Elena and walking over. Her friend was grinning happily in a way Scarlett hadn't seen in a long time.

"Someone's happy," she said as the brunette gave her a warm hug.

"I am happy, extremely happy." Scarlett glanced down at Elena's necklace – she hadn't seen it before.

"That's new," she commented. Elena raised a hand to touch the silver gently, and smiled at Scarlett.

"Stefan just gave it to me," she said brightly. Scarlett nodded thoughtfully. Her godfather must have put vervain in the locket, to protect Elena – good thinking.

"It's beautiful," she said out loud. Elena opened her mouth to reply, but her words died on her lips as Caroline stopped in front of the pair, hands on her slender hips.

"And you two aren't in uniform because..?" she asked haughtily. The smile dropped from Elena's lips as she glanced at Scarlett, who looked equally nervous.

"Uh, about that…" Elena began.

"I'm not re-joining the team, Care. It's not who I am anymore," Scarlett said quickly. Caroline's grey eyes narrowed slightly before moving back to Elena.

"So, what's your excuse then?" Elena looked to Scarlett for help, but the redhead just shrugged and mouthed the word 'sorry.' Elena squared her shoulders as she faced the force of nature that was Caroline.

"I quit." Caroline blinked slowly, as though she hadn't quite understood what Elena had just said, and then her eyes turned stormy.

"Fine, but I hope you realise that it'll be impossible for us to do a pyramid now!" she yelled, before turning on her heel and storming off. Elena and Scarlett stood very still for a moment, trying to comprehend the fact that Caroline hadn't murdered either of them. Eventually they turned to each other, grinned, and walked closer to the crowd that had gathered around Mr Tanner and the football team.

Elena grabbed Scarlett's hand and pulled her to the very front of the crowd so that they could see Stefan, who smiled at them. The heat of the bonfire warmed Scarlett's cold skin, and the noise of the crowd practically drowned the music the band was playing. Scarlett glanced towards the cheerleaders and saw Bonnie wave slightly at her. Soon Mr Tanner stepped onto the podium and attempted to quiet the crowd's cheering so that he could make a speech.

"Wait, wait, wait … Now let's be honest here. In the past we used to let other teams come into our town and roll right over us." Scarlett was careful not to let her guard down too much – a crowd this size and this emotional would surely knock her out if she let them into her head. "But that is about to change." The booing of the crowd turned into hysterical cheering. "We've got some great new talent tonight starting on offence, and I'm gonna tell you right now, it has been a long time since I have seen a kid like this with hands like these. Let's give it up for Stefan Salvatore!"

Elena and Scarlett both jumped up and down cheering as Stefan soaked up the applause of the crowd, a small, bashful smile curving his lips.

"So for all of you that have been waiting for us to put a check in the win column, I have only one thing to say to you – the Timber Wolves are hungry." Scarlett let the screams of the crowd wash around her as she watched Tyler push away from the crowd, an angry scowl on his face. She slowly made her way through the crowd after him, flinching when someone accidentally stood on her toes. She reached the back of the crowd just in time to see Jeremy Gilbert land a punch on Tyler's jaw before all hell broke loose.

There was the sound of broken glass as Tyler attacked Jeremy, forcing him up against a car and kicking him viciously in the stomach. Matt's sister Vicki was stood close by, begging them to stop.

"Tyler, stop it, you're hurting him!" Scarlett cried as she moved to grab his arm. Not realising who it was, Tyler shoved Scarlett away from him and she landed hard on the floor, cutting her arm on a shard of glass. Tyler, completely oblivious to the noise around him, threw Jeremy to the floor and jumped on him, punching him repeatedly in the face.

"Tyler, Tyler stop!" Vicki yelled, but no one was listening to her. Scarlett crawled onto her knees, pressing her hand against the blood spilling from the wound on her arm. She glanced up as Stefan made his way over to the fight, stepping forward to break it up.

"Hey, he's down, enough!" Stefan grabbed Tyler's wrist as he pulled it back to punch Jeremy again. Looking at Stefan, Tyler turned around and punched him in the stomach, but there was no reaction. Elena ran towards Scarlett who was stumbling to her feet.

"Are you okay? Oh my God, Scarlett, your arm." Scarlett paid no attention to her friend as she watched Jeremy reach for a broken glass bottle. He moved forward to strike Tyler.

"Jeremy, no!" Scarlett yelled, catching Stefan's attention. He pushed Tyler out of the way and raised a hand to deflect the glass. Scarlett watched as the bottle sliced into Stefan's hand, and heard Elena's gasp from beside her. She was vaguely aware of Matt pushing Tyler away from the fight. Elena hurried to check on her brother, while Scarlett moved to Stefan's side. She watched as the cut on his hand sealed closed as though it was never there.

"Think of something, fast," she hissed into Stefan's ear. He nodded quickly, still staring at his hand. Elena turned and walked towards them, her face full of concern.

"Oh my God, you're hand." She reached for Stefan's hand, but he pulled it back, hiding it behind has back.

"No, no, it's fine," he said hurriedly, trying to brush off his injury.

"Is it deep? How bad is it?" Elena continued, pulling his wrist forward and prising his fist open so she could see the palm of his hand. But there was no cut, just a faint red mark. Scarlett watched as Elena's hands fell to her sides and her brow furrowed in confusion.

"But … I saw it, it was –"

"He missed," Stefan cut her off. "It's not my blood, it's Scarlett's." He quickly wiped his hand on his jeans and held it out for Elena to see his unblemished palm.

"No, I saw it, the glass cut your hand, it was…" Stefan shook his head.

"I'm okay, but we really need to see to Scarlett," he said, turning to look at his goddaughter. Scarlett's face had paled slightly, and her dark red blood was seeping through her fingers.

"I don't need stitches. There's a first aid kit in my car, so I'm going to go clean up," the redhead said quietly. She was feeling a little bit woozy from blood loss.

"I'll go with you," Elena offered, but Scarlett shook her head, no.

"I'll be fine, save me a seat in the stands so we can watch this idiot play some football." Scarlett nodded her head towards Stefan, a small smile on her lips, then walked away from her friends to find her car. When she reached the black 4x4, she opened the boot and pulled the first aid kit towards her. Gritting her teeth, she quickly cleaned the wound on her arm with an antiseptic wipe before attempting to wrap it with a gauze bandage. Unfortunately, Scarlett wasn't left handed, so the bandage wasn't doing what she wanted it to.

"Let me." Scarlett gasped as she spun on her heel, nearly toppling over in the process. Damon smirked slightly before taking the stepping forward and taking the bandage out of her hand.

"You have to stop creeping up on me," Scarlett chastised as she watched his hands skilfully bandage her arm. Damon chuckled as he tied off the end and patted her arm gently to signal that he was finished.

"But it's so much fun," he teased. One corner of Scarlett's mouth twitched up in a half-smile as she looked up at him. Damon gazed down at the young woman in front of him. She was so different from Katherine, so innocent and guileless – for some reason, he hoped that never changed.

"So, what are you doing here?" Scarlett asked as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm hiding from Caroline," Damon whispered conspiratorially as he leant towards her.

"And why is that?" Scarlett asked, her own voice lowered to a whisper.

"I needed a break. She … talks more than I can listen." Scarlett raised a single eyebrow as she shrugged into her leather jacket to keep the cold at bay.

"That could be a sign," she said, laughing nervously.

"Well, she's awfully young," Damon said with a shrug of his broad shoulders.

"No, you're just extremely old," Scarlett countered. Damon hesitated before he replied, glancing over Scarlett's shoulder as if to gather his thoughts.

"I don't see it going anywhere in the bigger picture. I think she'd drive me crazy."

"Caroline isn't just some unfeeling blood bag that you can feed from and then drop, Damon. She's a person with feelings, and she's been my best friend since the first grade – that means something to me, and I will not stand by and watch you hurt her." Damon gazed steadily at Scarlett as she spoke, seemingly unaffected by her words.

"Duly noted," he said, his face taking on a serious demeanour. "I'm sorry if I make you uncomfortable, Scar. That's not my intention."

"Yes it is," Scarlett scoffed. "Otherwise you wouldn't put an alternate meaning behind everything you say." Damon face broke out into an arrogant smirk.

"You're right, I do have other intentions," he agreed. Scarlett nodded and glanced down at the floor. "But so do you." Her dark blue eyes flew to his and she returned his smirk with one of her own.

"Really?" she asked sarcastically.

"Mhmm, I see them. You want me." Scarlett's heart stopped at his words, and she found it impossible to breathe. "I get to you, you find yourself drawn to me. You think about me even when you don't want to think about me, and I know you dream about me." Scarlett found herself staring deep into Damon's ice blue eyes – this close she could see the small flecks of grey in his irises. "And right now, you want to kiss me." Damon's pupil's dilated slightly, and Scarlett let out a small, nervous laugh.

"You can't compel me, Damon," she whispered.

"Who said I was compelling you?" he murmured in reply as he slowly leant down, his lips gradually moving towards hers. Before their lips could touch, Scarlett raised her uninjured arm and slapped Damon hard, causing his head to snap to the side. When he turned back to her, Scarlett could see a faint impression of her hand on his pale cheek. She could feel his anger radiating towards her, but Scarlett wasn't going to back down.

"Listen to me Damon, and listen well. First of all, I'm not the kind of girl that goes around kissing my best friend's boyfriends; I think more of myself, and them, than that. Second, I don't know what kind of game you're trying to play with Stefan, but I want no part of it. So leave me alone." She glared up at him for a moment longer before striding away without a backward glance.

* * *

Stefan was walking to the locker rooms to get ready for the game when Matt caught up with him.

"Hey, are you gonna be able to play?" the quarterback asked. Stefan looked confused for a moment before he remembered his injury from earlier.

"Oh, yeah, I'm good," he replied.

"What you did back there … You had Jeremy's back." They had paused just outside the changing room, and Stefan nodded slightly.

"Ah, he's a messed up kid, somebody's gotta look out for him."

"I know," Matt agreed quietly. He paused, looking at the ground before continuing. "This week at practice I was a dick." Stefan smiled and shook his head.

"You had your reasons."

"No excuse." Matt stared at Stefan for a moment before holding out his hand, calling a truce. They shook, and Matt smiled. "Good luck tonight – we're lucky to have you." That said, Matt turned and walked into the locker room. Stefan watched him leave, a small smile rising to his lips before a slow clapping sounded from behind him. Turning, he saw Damon leaning against a wall, his black clothes practically turning him into a shadow.

"Isn't that nice? Stefan joins the team, makes a friend. It's all so 'ra-ra go team!' Yeah!" His voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Not tonight," Stefan said tiredly. "I'm done with you." He turned to walk away, but before he could move Damon appeared in front of him, moving at vampire speed so that Stefan couldn't get away. Damon smirked at him.

"Nice trick with Scarlett. Let me guess, vervain in that little locket she wears." Stefan shook his head, a small smile touching his lips. "I'll admit to being a bit surprised. It's been a while since anyone could resist my compulsion."

"I didn't give Scarlett any vervain, I didn't need to. She lives in a house of vampires, Damon – what did you expect?"

"Where did she get it?" Damon asked.

"Does it matter?" Stefan said as he walked around his brother and headed towards the locker room.

"I guess I could just seduce her the old fashioned way," Damon taunted, stopping Stefan in his tracks. "Or I could just … eat her." Stefan slowly turned back to his brother, his forest green eyes assessing as Damon faced him.

"No… You're not gonna hurt her, Damon," Stefan said slowly. The brothers moved closer to one another until they were face to face.

"No?" Damon questioned.

"Because deep inside, there is a part of you that feels for her. I was worried that you had no humanity left inside of you, that you may have actually become the monster that you pretend to be, but then I see you with her…" Damon's eyes turned to ice as he glared at his brother, a cruel smirk curving his lips.

"Who's pretending?" he said snidely.

"Then kill me." Damon tilted his head, weighing his options.

"Well, I'm … I'm tempted," he told his brother, but Stefan shook his head.

"No, you're not. You've had lifetimes to do it and yet, here I am. I'm still alive, and there you are – you're still haunting me after one hundred and forty five years. Katherine is dead." Damon swallowed when he heard Katherine's name, his face becoming a blank mask. "And you hate me because you loved her, and you torture me because you still do… And that, my brother … that is your humanity." Stefan stared into his brother's cold eyes for a moment, wondering if he'd actually gotten through to him, when Mr Tanner stepped out of the locker room and called him.

"Salvatore!" He walked towards the brothers, arms spread out at his sides. "What the hell? We've got a game to play." Stefan quickly turned back to Damon who shrugged.

"If that's my humanity, then what's this?" he asked, before rushing towards Mr Tanner and sinking his fangs deep into his neck, savaging his throat. Tanner's eyes glazed over as his life was sucked out of him, and when Damon let go he toppled to the floor, dead. Damon turned to his brother, his eyes red with bloodlust, his lips dripping with dark red liquid.

"Any one. Any time. Any place," he said, before disappearing into the night, leaving Stefan alone with his dead history teacher.

* * *

Scarlett was stood next to Elena in the stands when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Checking it, she found a text from Stefan.

_Stefan:- Meet me at ur car. Now. _Slipping her phone back into her pocket, Scarlett turned to Elena and tapped her arm.

"I have to go," she yelled over the screams of the crowd. Elena looked confused. "I'll explain later," Scarlett said, before turning and hurrying back to her car. When she got there she found Stefan pacing back and forth, his brow furrowed with worry.

"Stefan? What's wrong?"

"Tanner's dead." Scarlett's hand flew to her mouth as she gasped in shock.

"What?" she whispered. Stefan nodded his head sadly, and pulled her close for a hug. Scarlett wrapped her arms around his waist, still trying to process his words as his hand soothingly rubbed her back. "Was it Damon?" she asked quietly. Stefan pulled away, his hands resting on her shoulders as he gazed into her scared blue eyes.

"Yes," he said simply. Scarlett sighed and closed her eyes. She should have expected something like this, and yet… And yet a part of her had been foolish enough to believe that Damon wasn't as bad as Stefan and Zach made him out to be. What an idiot she had been.

"What do you want me to do?" Stefan heard the resilience in her voice and saw the hard set of her mouth as she looked up at him. Her eyes, which had moments ago been pools of sorrow, were now filled with determination.

"I want you to go home," he told her quietly. "They'll have found the body by now. I need to find Elena and then I'll come home." Scarlett nodded and turned to her car, but before she could get in Stefan caught hold of her hand.

"Scarlett, stay away from Damon," he said seriously. The redhead gazed at him steadily for a moment before nodding. Stefan let go of her hand and Scarlett climbed into her car, driving steadily back to the Boarding House. Zach was in his study when she got home, but Scarlett really didn't feel like explaining the night's events to him at that moment. She trudged up the stairs and wandered along the corridor to her bedroom. Feeling drained, both physically and emotionally, Scarlett did little more than change into her pyjamas and crawl into bed, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

* * *

As Damon returned home later that night, he noticed that Scarlett's bedroom light was still on. Curious, he jumped up to her open window and silently climbed inside. The room was exactly as he remembered it, painted a pale grey with driftwood furniture. Scarlett herself was fast asleep in her large double bed, lips slightly parted. Her hair curled around her shoulders, falling across her face.

Damon slowly moved forward until he was standing beside the bed, gazing down at the redhead who so beguiled him. He reached forward and gently tucked a fiery wave behind Scarlett's ear, before tracing the backs of his fingers across her cheek. Scarlett sighed contentedly and turned her face towards his hand, seeking his touch. Damon's gaze softened slightly before he frowned. He couldn't let himself get close to her, that wasn't why he had come back to Mystic Falls. Turning off the light, he slowly backed out of Scarlett's bedroom, leaving her to a dreamless sleep.

* * *

**Well, that was a long chapter... I hope you enjoyed it. Comments, questions, thoughts and ideas are always welcome.**

**For any of you wondering, the piano piece that Scarlett played was Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No 2, 2nd Movement Andante. You can hear it on Youtube. **

**Also, if you'd like to read some of my original work, I've just opened an account on Wattpad and will post a link on my Profile.**

**Until next time xx **


	4. Family Ties

**Welcome welcome to another chapter! This one has some rather nice Damon/Scarlett moments for my lovely readers!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with The Vampire Diaries. Enjoy...**

* * *

Dawn sunlight filtered through the grey voiles at the window, once again waking Scarlett from her peaceful slumber. Cracking her eyes open, she glared at the offending pieces of material and dragged her duvet over her head.

"I have to get better curtains," she mumbled to herself as she stretched languidly to awaken her tired muscles. The stress of the last few days was already beginning to take its toll on her body and her mind. She felt exhausted, drained. She didn't know what to do, and Scarlett hated not knowing what to do. Her mother always used to say that the best way to be prepared was to have a plan, but Scarlett didn't have a plan, and she didn't think she'd be able to put one together anytime soon.

Clambering out of the relative safety of her bed, Scarlett walked to her bathroom to shower, squealing quietly as her feet touched the cold floor. The hot water seemed to calm her nerves, and when she finally stepped out of the shower thirty minutes later, she was in a much better frame of mind. She dressed quickly and comfortably in grey skinny jeans, a white gypsy-style blouse and black ankle boots, before applying a touch of mascara and blow-drying her thick auburn hair until it fell in loose waves down her back.

Once she was dressed, Scarlett spent a few moments carefully erecting barriers around her mind, just like her mum had taught her when her empathic ability had first appeared aged fourteen. Her stomach rumbled loudly and, taking the hint, Scarlett made her way to the kitchen. As she passed Stefan's bedroom, she heard a quiet groan. Scarlett frowned and changed direction, creeping up the stairs to her godfather's room. She stepped over the stair that always creaked and hid just out of sight of the door, slowing her breathing to a near stop.

"Deadly beast captured, all's well in Mystic Falls," she heard Damon say, his voice deepening as though he were mimicking someone. Scarlett's brow furrowed in confusion. Why was Damon worried about having a scapegoat?

"Why would you cover your tracks?" she heard Stefan ask, as though he had read her mind. Scarlett heard slow footsteps, though she didn't know whose, and tensed to run in case someone came down the stairs. Not that she'd get very far…

"I've decided to stay a while," Damon said. His voice sounded flippant to Scarlett's ears. "And I'm just having way too much fun here with you and Scarlett … Maybe Elena could join the party?" Scarlett held back a gasp – did Damon know that she was listening?

"You can't touch them, Damon," Stefan said calmly. He sounded … proud.

"Well, the vervain keeps me out of their heads… Maybe that's not my target." Scarlett had heard enough. She slowly crept back down the stairs and hurried to the kitchen, wondering what Damon meant by his last comment.

Up in Stefan's bedroom, Damon's lips curved in to a small smile. He listened carefully to Scarlett's rapid footsteps as she rushed away from the room before turning back to his brother.

"Don't worry about your little girlfriend, brother, I'm not gonna touch her." Stefan seemed to visibly relax in front of Damon's eyes, and his smirk widened as he twirled the knife that had been thrown into his stomach between his hands. "Scarlett, on the other hand… Well, I have lots of plans for her. Believe it or not Stefan, some girls don't need my persuasion." Damon began to pace towards Stefan as he watched his brother's face darken with his every word. "Some girls just can't resist my good looks, my style, my charm and my unflinching ability to listen to Taylor Swift." With that, he thrust the knife he was holding right between Stefan's ribs and watched his brother fall to his knees in pain. Damon looked down at his t-shirt, examining the hole Stefan had created when he threw the knife into his stomach.

"This is John Varvatos, dude," he said, annoyed that he'd have to throw out such a good shirt. He glared down at Stefan who was still on the floor. "Dick, move." With that, he strolled out of Stefan's room and went to change. Once he had cleaned up, he followed the familiar scent of jasmine downstairs and into the kitchen. Scarlett was sat on a barstool at the centre island, a slice of toast in one hand while her other twirled a strand of hair between her fingers. Her eyes were glued to the television, where a news reporter was talking to the sheriff about the dead mountain lion Damon had used to cover his tracks.

"You know what they say about eavesdroppers," Damon said as he sauntered further into the room. Scarlett's eyes flickered to him for a moment before returning to the TV as she took a bite of toast.

"Morning Damon," she said distractedly. He frowned at her, then reached over and turned the TV off – Damon didn't appreciate Scarlett ignoring him. The redhead sighed and rolled her eyes slightly before turning her gaze on him.

"I was watching that."

"Watch me instead," Damon replied cheekily. Scarlett raised an eyebrow.

"How unashamedly corny of you…" Damon grinned as he took the seat next to her.

"You love it."

"Not really." Scarlett turned away from him and continued to eat her toast, taking occasional sips from her glass of juice. Damon turned his nose up at the dark brown substance spread on Scarlett's toast.

"What is that stuff?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. Scarlett turned wide, confused eyes to him, before glancing down at the last slice of toast on her plate.

"Chocolate spread." She laughed at the look of disgust on Damon's face. "You should eat some, it might sweeten you up."

"So that's why there was so much sugar in my coffee the other night." Scarlett shrugged innocently and continued to eat her breakfast. "You know, if you want to sweeten me up, maybe you should be nicer to me."

"Maybe if you didn't go around killing my history teachers, I would be," Scarlett replied sharply as she stood up and took her dirty plate to the sink to rinse it. Turning around, she found Damon standing barely an inch away. His pale blue eyes stared into hers, before lowering to her slightly parted lips. Scarlett sucked in a breath – was he going to kiss her? She watched as his hand rose slowly to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing along her full lower lip. He leaned in until his lips were brushing the delicate shell of her ear.

"You had chocolate on your mouth," he whispered. Scarlett closed her eyes as she felt the blood rush to her cheeks. A soft gust of wind swirled in front of her, and when she opened her eyes, Damon was gone.

* * *

Scarlett spent the rest of the morning hidden away in her bedroom. Her nerves were completely shot. She tried everything to distract herself. She attempted to read a book, but only got three pages in before the hero reminded her of Damon. She put a movie on her laptop, but the main actor smirked the same way as Damon. She started practicing her yoga, but her subconscious kept thinking of flirty little comments that were exactly what Damon would say if he could see her. She even resorted to getting out the wooden throwing stars Zach had bought her for her last birthday and launching them at the back of her door, but nothing was working.

Damon was right – he didn't need compulsion to get into her head. He was all Scarlett could think about. Groaning in frustration, she threw herself onto her bed, smothered her face with a pillow and screamed into it. When she paused for breath, she heard her phone vibrating on her night stand. Reaching over to grab it, Scarlett frowned when she saw the name flashing on the screen.

"Hello Mrs Lockwood."

"Scarlett dear, how are you?" Tyler's mum sounded exactly as she had when Scarlett was still going out with her son. She had always been so kind to Scarlett, especially after her mother died. It was just a shame that Tyler was such a jerk.

"I'm okay thanks. Can I help you with something?"

"Yes, Scarlett, I believe you can. I was wondering if you had any old family heirlooms that you wouldn't mind lending me for the Heritage Display?" Scarlett glanced at an old wooden trunk in the corner as she thought about Mrs Lockwood's question.

"Uh, yeah sure. Mum only left me a few things that belonged to our family back in the Civil War. Just some pictures and an old Confederacy uniform, is that okay?"

"That would be great – I don't suppose you could bring them down to the Grill?" Mrs Lockwood asked.

"Yeah of course, I'll be there in a little while," Scarlett replied as she walked over to the trunk and opened the heavy lid.

"Fantastic, see you soon Scarlett." Mrs Lockwood hung up and Scarlett pocketed her phone before crouching down and beginning to rummage through the trunk. Inside there were dozens of journals; the older ones bound in leather while her mum's were just wire-bound notebooks. Pushing these aside, Scarlett found a package wrapped in brown paper that contained her great-great-grandfather's army uniform and a small wooden box which contained some early photographs of her ancestors. This was what she was looking for.

Placing the package to one side, Scarlett opened the box and pulled out the photographs, searching through them for one in particular. Her mother was the only person in Mystic Falls to own a copy of the photo from the original Founders Day Ball - a photo that included Damon and Stefan. Scarlett couldn't let the Founders Council get hold of that picture. Damon and Stefan would be staked in the town square, and that was a fact.

Scarlett's eyes were drawn to Damon as she gazed down at the picture. He looked very handsome in his suit, and his hair had been longer, curling across his forehead. Scarlett longed to reach out and brush it away from his face. But what struck her most was the openness she saw in his features. He had been happy as a human. What had happened in a hundred and forty five years to change that? One name came to mind – Katherine.

Not wishing to dwell on the subject of Damon for any longer than she had to, Scarlett tucked the photograph into one of her mum's journals, then closed the trunk and locked it shut. She placed the other photos and the uniform into a bag, grabbed her jacket, handbag and keys, and headed out to her car.

* * *

Parking across the road from the Grill, Scarlett climbed out of her car and grabbed the bag for Mrs Lockwood, checking to see that nothing had been damaged during the drive, before walking inside. The Grill was crowded, with people stopping by for lunch. It was practically the only family friendly restaurant in town. Scarlett scanned the crowd and found Mrs Lockwood sat in a booth with her husband and … Tyler. She groaned before weaving her way towards them.

"Scarlett, dear, you made it," Mrs Lockwood said as soon as she caught sight of the redhead. Scarlett smiled.

"Hi Mrs Lockwood, Mayor Lockwood," she said nodding at the Mayor as he grinned at her. She completely ignored Tyler, who shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Here are the pieces you wanted," Scarlett continued as she handed the bag to Mrs Lockwood.

"That's great, thank you. These will be a wonderful contribution to the Heritage Display," Mrs Lockwood gushed.

"Happy to help."

"We'll see you at the party, won't we?" Mayor Lockwood asked. Scarlett smiled widely.

"I wouldn't miss it," she said, and the Mayor winked cheerfully at her.

"I remember when you and Tyler used to go together, you always looked so lovely," Mrs Lockwood said fondly, her gaze fixed on her son. "Tyler, why don't you bring Scarlett this year?" Scarlett tensed and her expression hardened slightly. The last thing she wanted was to go to the party with Tyler Lockwood.

"I'm actually already going with someone," she said quickly, mentally slapping herself as she spoke. Mrs Lockwood's eyebrows rose curiously while Tyler finally raised his dark eyes to look at Scarlett.

"Oh? Who will you be bringing?" Mrs Lockwood asked. Scarlett's eyes cast around the bar, as if it would magically present her with an answer. Her gaze landed on Bonnie and Caroline sitting at a table not too far from where she was standing.

"Bonnie Bennett," she replied. Mrs Lockwood frowned in confusion. "Neither of us had dates so we decided to go as friends, we'll have more fun that way." Just at that moment, Vicki Donovan walked up carrying a jug of water. She glared at Scarlett before flashing a dazzling smile at Tyler's parents.

"How are we all doing over here?" she asked brightly. Scarlett watched as Tyler sunk low in his seat and Mrs Lockwood turned her penetrating gaze on him.

"We're doing great, sweetheart," the Mayor said and he flashed a smile at Scarlett. Scarlett could feel the jealousy rolling off of Vicki in waves as she smiled back at Mayor Lockwood.

"If you'll excuse me Mayor, Mrs Lockwood, my friends are waiting for me," she said. Mrs Lockwood stood up to give her a brief hug, and Scarlett caught a glimpse of Vicki's resentful glare over her shoulder.

"We'll see you later, sweetie," she said as she pulled back. Scarlett smiled and waved at the Mayor before turning and hurrying towards Caroline and Bonnie, who were talking quietly. She sat down at their table and grabbed a French fry off of Caroline's plate.

"What are you two discussing so intently?" she asked with a grin. Bonnie and Caroline glanced at each other meaningfully, before both shaking their heads. Scarlett frowned as she reached for another fry. "Now you've got me worried." Caroline glared at Bonnie and shook her head vigorously, but Bonnie ignored her.

"We were talking about Damon," she said in reply to Scarlett's question. The redhead groaned and buried her head in her hands.

"Remind me not to ask next time," she grumbled. Bonnie smiled, but Caroline looked upset.

"Don't be mean about Damon, Scarlett. He's my boyfriend." Scarlett reached for another fry, but this time Caroline batted her hand away.

"About that, do you really think dating Damon is a good idea?" Scarlett asked quietly. Bonnie glanced at her curiously. Caroline stared at Scarlett for a moment, confused, before her face lit up with understanding.

"Oh, I get it. You're jealous!" Scarlett choked on thin air before gaping incredulously at her friend.

"Excuse me?!" Caroline smirked smugly at Scarlett, twirling the end of her scarf in her fingers.

"You're jealous because Damon picked me and not you." Scarlett stared at her friend in disbelief. Where was this coming from?

"I wasn't aware we were competing for his attention," she said quietly. Caroline stood up quickly and shrugged into her jacket before picking up her shopping bags.

"Well, we were, and I won. Damon is my boyfriend and there's nothing you can do about it," she said brightly before turning and sauntering out of the bar. Scarlett and Bonnie sat in amazed silence as they stared after her. Eventually, Scarlett turned to her friend.

"What the hell was that about?" she asked, still trying to process what had just happened. Bonnie shook her head, apparently in the same state of shock as Scarlett. She shook off the uneasy feeling the conversation had given her as she looked at Bonnie.

"Bonnie Bennett, I have a very important question to ask you," she said, leaning across the table and smiling secretively. Bonnie grinned in response and leaned in as well. From the corner of her eye, Scarlett saw Tyler watching the two of them with a curious smirk on his face.

"What question is that, Scarlett Williams?" Bonnie replied with a giggle. Scarlett reached across the table and took Bonnie's hand before looking her seriously in the eyes.

"Will you, Miss Bennett, be my date to the Founders Party?" she asked. Bonnie managed to keep a straight face for a grand total of five seconds before the pair of them burst out laughing. When they had both calmed down enough to speak, Bonnie turned to Scarlett with a grin.

"Miss Williams, I thought you'd never ask," she said breathily, holding one hand over her heart as she overplayed the moment. The two girls grinned at each other before leaving, Bonnie to go home and Scarlett to go dress shopping.

"I have to look perfect for our date," she told Bonnie as she walked away, throwing a cheeky wink over her shoulder which was rewarded with the sound of Bonnie's laughter.

* * *

Zach had returned home from a Council meeting with Sheriff Forbes. He wandered into the front parlour, putting his keys on a side table as he went. He was already halfway across the room when he noticed Damon lounging on a sofa reading from a notebook.

"I didn't know you were here," he told the vampire bluntly.

"Just going through Stefan's homework," Damon replied dismissively as he flipped a page in the notebook. "Boy this country sure has dumbed down in the last hundred years. Why he wants to go to high school is beyond me … I mean in the seventies he went Ivy League – Harvard I understood." Damon paused and glanced at skyward. "Actually no, I didn't get that either." He continued to flip through Stefan's homework while Zach shifted uncomfortably. "Go ahead, purge. Get it out, what's on your mind?" Damon said to Zach, his attention still on the notebook in his hands. Zach hesitated before he spoke.

"Why are you here, Damon?" he asked. Damon looked up from the notebook and focused on his great-nephew.

"To spend time with you, Zach." He closed the notebook and placed it on his lap, folding his hands on top. "Family's important." Zach stared at the vampire, not believing a word out of his mouth.

"I know you … You always have a motive. So tell me, what is it this time?" Before he could blink, Damon had rushed across the room and grabbed hold of Zach's throat, lifting up on to the tips of his toes, causing him to choke. Zach tried to prise Damon's fingers from his neck, but it was no good.

"You are in no position to question me," Damon said threateningly as he glared at his relative.

"I didn't mean to upset you," Zach choked out. Damon smirked as he tightened his hold on Zach's throat.

"This is not upset, Zach," he said cheerfully, before footsteps interrupted him.

"What's going on?" Stefan said as he entered the room. Damon glanced over his shoulder to see his brother glaring at him. He released Zach, who fell to the floor gasping for air.

"Having a family moment, Stefan," he said as Stefan staled towards him. "Spending some quality time." He patted Zach on the shoulder before walking out, a small smile on his lips. Stefan watched his brother leave before moving to help Zach.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

"No, I'm not," Zach said, gasping for air and shoving Stefan's hand away and moving to sit on the step behind him. "And neither are you, and neither is Scarlett. How many more people have to die before you see that?" he asked, his voice laced with frustration.

"I see it, alright Zach, I see it –"

"Then why aren't you doing anything about it?" Zach cut him off.

"I can't, Zach," Stefan said firmly. "I can't … It would take human blood, it's the only way that I could stop him, and I can't do that." Zach stared up at his uncle, steadily catching his breath, then glanced in the direction Damon had disappeared, as if to make sure he was really gone. Slowly, he stood up until he was looking Stefan straight in the eye.

"Vervain could weaken him, if he ingested it," he said softly. Stefan nodded in agreement. "It would get you the upper hand."

"Vervain hasn't grown here since eighteen sixty four," Stefan responded, his voice just as quiet as Zach's. "Damon saw to that. The little I had, I gave to Elena." Zach once again glanced in the direction Damon had gone, before turning back to Stefan, his gaze serious. Stefan frowned at his nephew.

"What?" he asked confused. Zach tilted his head to one side, signalling that Stefan was to follow him, before leading the way down to the basement. Stefan followed silently, curious as to what Zach had to show him. In the basement, Zach let the way to a door with cell-like bars set into it. He pushed it open and allowed Stefan to walk through. Underneath bright white lights were dozens of plants with pale lilac flowers - vervain.

"You've been growing it…" Stefan said incredulously.

"It's just something that's been passed down through the generations," Zach said calmly. Stefan turned to him, a frown marring his brow. "Blood only runs so deep when you're related to vampires," Zach continued with a shrug. "Damon would kill me if he knew that I had it."

"Does Scarlett know?" Stefan asked. Zach levelled a hard glare at his uncle.

"Scarlett's already more involved in this than I ever wanted. I don't want her in any more danger than she already is." Stefan's frown deepened.

"Then how did she get vervain for her locket?" he asked.

"I gave it to her, I just never told her where I got it," Zach explained. Stefan nodded, before turning back to the plants in front of him.

"Why are you telling me this?" he finally asked. Zach hesitated, glancing at the floor, before looking resolutely at his uncle.

"Because I trust you," he said simply. "And you're gonna need it if you want to get rid of him."

* * *

Scarlett had just arrived outside the Boarding House when her phone started vibrating from inside her handbag. Letting out a frustrated sigh, she dug out her phone then hauled her many shopping bags from the backseat and walked up the front steps, phone in one hand so she could read the text she had received.

_Bonnie:- Doing manicures at Elena's, wanna join? Xox. _Scarlett fumbled with the door handle for a moment before it opened, then she walked in and placed her bags on the floor before sending a reply.

_Scarlett:- Want my dress to be a surprise ;) C u l8r xxx. _Bonnie's reply was almost instantaneous.

_Bonnie:- Can't w8, pick u up in 1 hour xox. _Scarlett smiled as she pocketed her phone and picked up her shopping bags before making her way to her bedroom. She decided to stop in on Stefan before she started to get ready, so she climbed the stairs to his room. The door was ajar, so she used her shoulder to push it open and froze in the doorway, her eyes wide.

Damon was stood in front of Stefan's full length mirror wearing nothing but a pair of suit trousers. He had a tie slung loosely around his neck, doing nothing to cover the broad expanse of his torso from Scarlett's eyes. Her gaze ran over his pale skin, which rippled with muscles, before meeting his blue eyes in the mirror – he had caught her staring. Damon gave her a smug smirk before turning and stalking towards her.

"Like what you see, Scar?" he asked playfully as he watched her compose herself. He saw her swallow before she shrugged noncommittally and turned to Stefan.

"I just wanted to say hi before I go and get ready," she said, doing her best to ignore Damon. Stefan smiled from his seat on his bed.

"Do you need a ride tonight? Elena's driving." Scarlett shook her head with a smile.

"That's alright; my date's picking me up." Damon, who had been in the process of pouring himself a glass of bourbon from Stefan's drinks cabinet, snapped around to face the redhead, the smirk wiped off his face.

"Date? What date?" he asked sharply. Scarlett turned to face him with an innocent smile.

"My date," she said brightly. Damon frowned before he turned to his brother.

"You're her godfather – isn't this the part where you say she's too young to date." Stefan tilted his head as he studied Damon's reaction.

"Not at all, I think it's great that you have a date Scarlett." Damon scowled at his brother before walking up to Scarlett, his drink forgotten.

"I'll drive you – you and your _date," _he said the word as if it were distasteful, "should have a chaperone." Scarlett and Stefan glanced at each other before they both burst out laughing. Damon's scowl intensified as he watched Scarlett, her face alight with laughter and realised that he was … what? Damon mentally shook himself before he thought too hard about how he felt. Scarlett's laughter turned into quiet chuckles as she started to walk from the room.

"It's not eighteen sixty four anymore Damon. Besides, don't you have a girlfriend to pick up?" She smiled cheekily over her shoulder, her blue eyes dancing, before waving to Stefan and hurrying to her room, closing the door tightly behind her. Damon's face had been such a picture when she'd mentioned her date, that she simply couldn't resist playing with him. What would he think when he found out the date he seemed so worried about was Bonnie?

Chuckling to herself, Scarlett stripped down and wrapped herself in a sapphire blue satin robe while she got ready. She curled her long auburn hair and pinned it into a loose up-do, with random tendrils falling to frame her face. Next she applied smoky grey eye shadow, eyeliner and black mascara before sweeping a light rose blush across her cheeks and rubbing balm onto her lips.

Satisfied that she didn't look dreadful, Scarlett left her bathroom to get dressed. She moisturised her arms, shoulders and legs before slipping into the dress she had bought at a little boutique shop in town. The store owner had assured her that any man would kill to be her date once he saw her in this dress, and she had taken the woman's advice and teamed the navy blue number with pearl stud earrings and black strappy heels. A car horn honked outside signalling that Bonnie had arrived. Scarlett did a quick spin in front of her full length mirror so that she could see her outfit from all angles. Happy with her appearance, she picked up her clutch purse from where it sat on her bed and went to meet Bonnie out front.

* * *

Damon and Caroline arrived at the Lockwood mansion when the party was already in full swing. They walked up to the door and Caroline stepped over the threshold, while Damon hesitated just outside – he still needed an invitation before he could enter. Caroline smiled brightly at their hostess as she walked over.

"Caroline, you look smashing," Mrs Lockwood gushed as she flashed a megawatt smile at the blonde and leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you Mrs Lockwood. Uh, this is my boyfriend Damon," Caroline replied, gesturing towards the dark haired vampire just outside the door.

"Oh, well come on in," Mrs Lockwood said, and Damon inclined his head and walked forward to join Caroline inside the house.

"Lovely to meet you. I've been looking forward to this party for quite a while," Damon said as he glanced around the room, searching for a certain blue eyed redhead.

"Well, enjoy," Mrs Lockwood said quietly as she moved away to greet her other guests. Damon turned to Caroline who beamed up at him as he offered her his arm.

"Let's go get a drink," he suggested. The pair began to walk further into the house, but paused when Caroline noticed her mother watching them. She turned to Damon with a small smile.

"Wait here," she instructed before she marched over to her mother. Damon, never one to do as he was told, moved further into the party, his eyes scanning the crowd. He quickly located the bar and ordered himself a drink, settling himself down to wait for Scarlett and her date to show up. He wanted to have some fun with the unfortunate boy.

Bonnie and Scarlett arrived outside and followed Stefan and Elena up to the front porch, accompanied by Elena's Aunt Jenna. Bonnie had already noticed a few guys watching her friend with admiring eyes, and elbowed Scarlett gently in the ribs to point it out. When they reached the front door, Mayor Lockwood ushered Elena and Stefan inside before turning to Scarlett.

"Scarlett, looking beautiful, as always," he said charmingly as he gave her a brief hug. Scarlett smiled warmly up at him.

"Thank you, Mayor Lockwood."

"You kids have a good time," he said before hurrying off to talk to Logan Fell, the news reporter. Scarlett and Bonnie moved further into the house, pausing to chat with some school friends before making their way towards the back of the house.

Damon didn't have to turn around to know that Scarlett was walking behind him – the scent of jasmine and spices filled his senses, and he turned to find her standing in the doorway. His eyes scanned the space around her for her date, but Damon could tell that she wasn't paying particular attention to any one of the number of boys who were ogling her. Instead, she seemed to be accompanying a petite dark haired girl in a white floral dress.

The girl with Scarlett glanced in Damon's direction, catching his eye for a moment, before turning to the redhead and leaning in to whisper something in her ear. Damon watched as Scarlett's face lit up with amusement before she let out a gentle burst of laughter. She said something quietly to her friend before the two parted ways, and Scarlett walked towards Damon, a soft smile curling her lips.

Damon took this opportunity to take note of what Scarlett was wearing. His icy blue eyes slowly travelled down her body, taking in the elegant cut of her navy blue dress, with its high neck resting just under her collar bone, fitting tightly to her hips before falling in delicate pleats to just above her knees. The capped sleeves accentuated the creamy skin of her arms, while her messy up-do gave her face an ethereal quality that Damon hadn't seen before. He managed to muster his signature smirk as Scarlett came to a halt in front of him.

"Where did your date run off to?" he asked snidely, causing the redhead's smile to instantly vanish.

"Bonnie wanted some fresh air," she said quietly before asking the bartender for a glass of lemonade.

"I didn't realise you batted for the other team, it makes things a whole lot more interesting," Damon remarked as Scarlett took a sip of her drink. She glanced up at him, one eyebrow raised mockingly.

"Jealous, Damon?" she asked calmly, before turning on her heel and walking out onto the veranda, gifting Damon with a perfect view of her slender back, exposed by the deep v cut back of her dress. Damon watched her leave, a strange twisting sensation in his stomach. He downed his drink before going to find Caroline.

* * *

After the sun had set and the fairy lights in the garden had been lit, Scarlett wandered upstairs to view the Heritage Display. Stefan and Elena were already there, and greeted her warmly when she arrived. Scarlett's attention was caught by a display in the corner – all of the pictures she had given to Mrs Lockwood earlier that day were stood on a table, with labels about who each picture showed.

Glancing behind her, she saw Stefan and Elena move towards what seemed to be a list of names in a frame, hanging on the wall. She went to stand beside her godfather as Elena started to read out loud.

"The Founding Families of Mystic Falls welcome you to the inaugural Founders Council Celebration. Wow, look it's the original guest registry." Scarlett glanced nervously towards Stefan as she felt his anxiety levels rise. She wanted to help him, but she honestly didn't know how. She hoped that Elena wouldn't read the rest of the list, because Scarlett knew exactly what she would find. "Look at all these familiar names," Elena continued, oblivious to the tension radiating off of her boyfriend. "Sheriff William Forbes, Mayor Benjamin Lockwood, Doctor Andrew Williams … Is that, Damon Salvatore?" Elena's eyes widened slightly as she turned to Stefan. Scarlett's eyes were fixed on the piece of paper. "And Stefan Salvatore?" Stefan didn't know what to say – he racked his brain for some kind of excuse as to why his name would be on a piece of paper from eighteen sixty four, but he couldn't think of one.

"The original Salvatore brothers," Damon's voice sounded from behind them as he entered the room with Caroline. Caroline sent Scarlett a small glare which the redhead ignored as she, Elena and Stefan turned to face the dark haired vampire. "Our ancestors … Tragic story, actually." Scarlett felt an incredible surge of anger and jealousy enter her body, causing her to wobble slightly in her high heels. Stefan's hand shot out to steady her, and she sent him a thankful smile before glancing at Damon, who was glaring down at Stefan's hand on her arm.

"We don't need to bore them with stories of the past," Stefan told Damon firmly. The older vampire's glare moved up to his brother's eyes, and the pair stared silently at each other. Elena glanced at Scarlett for some kind of explanation, but the redhead just shrugged as she subtly massaged her right temple.

"It's not boring, Stefan," Elena assured her boyfriend. "I'd love to hear more about your family. And about how you and Scarlett met," she said, smiling at her friend. Stefan looked from Elena to Damon, who smirked at him before glancing at Scarlett – the redhead was staring down at the floor, frowning in discomfort. There was a brief silence before Caroline spoke up.

"Well I'm bored. I wanna dance, and Damon won't dance with me," she whined. Scarlett rolled her eyes at the pleading tone in her friend's voice – she had never heard Caroline be so simpering over a boy. Damon shook his head to confirm that he had no intention of dancing, and Caroline turned to Elena. "Could I just … borrow your date?" Elena's eyes widened as she looked towards her boyfriend.

"Oh, uh…" she hesitated.

"I don't really dance," Stefan said quietly, shaking his head.

"Oh, sure he does, you should see him," Damon disputed. "The waltz, the jitterbug, the moonwalk, he does it all!" Stefan's gaze hardened as he watched his brother – why did Damon want him away from Scarlett and Elena?

"You wouldn't mind, would you Elena?" Caroline asked slyly. "I mean, I would ask Scarlett, but seeing as she doesn't have a date…" Scarlett ignored Caroline's jibe, focusing her attention on Damon, studying him carefully as he watched Stefan's reactions. He was up to something, she could tell. Elena took a deep breath and shrugged one shoulder.

"It's up to Stefan," she said, her voice betraying a hint of annoyance.

"Well sorry, but I'm not gonna take no for an answer," Caroline said as she reached across and grabbed Stefan's arm, dragging him from the room. Damon moved to Scarlett's side as she and Elena watched Stefan leave the room. Sensing her friend's discomfort, Scarlett rubbed Elena's arm comfortingly, earning her a small smile from the brunette as she moved a few feet away from Scarlett and Damon. Scarlett started to move away as well, but tensed when Damon caught her hand, pulling her back towards him.

"Wait, Scar… I wanna apologise to you for … being such a world class jerk, the other night when I tried to kiss you. There's no excuse." Scarlett could feel Elena's curiosity behind her, and she tried to block it out as she gazed up at Damon, a small frown creasing her brow. She couldn't think of what to say, and she had to be careful with Elena listening that she didn't mention anything compromising. "My therapist says I'm … acting out, trying to … punish Stefan."

"Is this about Katherine?" Scarlett asked. Elena had moved closer to them by now, and Scarlett saw Damon glance in her direction before he replied.

"It's in the past… Let's just say that the men in the Salvatore family have been cursed with sibling rivalry." Damon smiled at Elena, inviting her back in to the conversation. Scarlett's frown intensified as she realised what he was doing. He was trying to get between Elena and Stefan – but why? "It all started with the original Salvatore brothers." Elena stood next to Scarlett as she listened to Damon, genuinely curious about Stefan's family, but all Scarlett felt was nervous and uncomfortable. The way Damon was staring at Elena was … not normal.

"The Salvatore name was practically royalty in this town, until the war… There was a battle here –"

"The Battle of Willow Creek," Elena finished. "We know, we talked about it in class."

"Confederate soldiers fired on a church with civilians inside…" Scarlett added quietly. Damon's gaze turned to her and he smiled slightly, watching as her cheeks heated with a blush.

"What the history books left out, was that the people that were killed … they weren't there by accident," Damon continued, moving to stand next to a small replica of the original Mystic Falls Church. "They were believed to be Union sympathisers, so some of the Founders on the Confederacy side back then wanted them rounded up and burnt alive." Scarlett gazed at Damon as she tried to read him – this all seemed very personal for a history lesson. "Stefan and Damon had someone they loved very much in that church." Scarlett's eyes widened as she finally understood. _Katherine. _He was talking about Katherine. "And when they went to rescue them, they were … shot – murdered in cold blood." Damon's icy blue gaze slowly rose to Scarlett's, and he was stunned by the sorrow he saw there. Sorrow and understanding, and just a trace of pity.

"Who was in the church that they wanted to save?" Elena asked quietly, drawing Damon and Scarlett's attention to her. Damon smiled softly as he gazed down at the model church.

"A woman, I guess. Doesn't it always come down to the love of a woman?" Scarlett took a deep breath as Damon finished his story. She finally understood why he hated Stefan so much – Katherine must have died in the church fire, and Damon had spent one hundred and forty five years blaming Stefan for her death. Scarlett felt oddly jealous – she wished someone would love her the way Damon had loved Katherine. The way he probably still did love her… Elena's hushed voice dragged Scarlett away from her thoughts.

"Look, I'm sorry that you and Stefan have this thing between you, but I can't get in the middle of it Damon. I just … I hope you two can work it out." Damon smiled slightly, his eyes resting for a moment on Scarlett who was gazing down at the floor.

"I hope so too," he said quietly. Scarlett's sea-blue eyes met his, and she sent him a small, hopeful smile. Damon felt his stomach muscles contract at the pure honesty he saw in that smile. For some inexplicable reason, he really didn't want to hurt this girl, and yet he knew that he would in the end. Elena watched the pair silently, her eyes glancing between Damon and her friend as they gazed at each other. There was something between them, something raw and passionate. It was a wonder to Elena that Damon was seeing Caroline when he so obviously wanted to be with Scarlett. It was like they were meant to be together, but neither one could see it.

"Shall we go and find my brother?" Damon asked gamely, offering his arms to the two girls before him and smiling charmingly. Elena nodded in agreement, and linked her arm with his. Scarlett, however, backed away slightly.

"I should go and find Bonnie; I haven't seen her all night…" Elena smiled and nodded in understanding as Scarlett hurried from the room. From the corner of her eye, she caught Damon staring after her friend, his eyes full of confusion. She cleared her throat to get his attention, and watched as a mask dropped over his features. Smirking, he led her slowly from the room, his eyes following Scarlett's hastily moving figure down the corridor.

* * *

Scarlett found Bonnie sitting at a table by herself, staring intently at a smoking candle. As she watched, the candle suddenly flickered to life, and Bonnie flinched away from it, before frowning and blowing it out. Scarlett slowly moved forward and sat next to the witch, a small smile on her face. Bonnie's eyes widened in fear as she saw Scarlett.

"Did you see that?" she hissed quietly. Sensing Bonnie's fear, Scarlett decided to play innocent.

"See what?" she asked blandly. Bonnie visibly relaxed, and Scarlett smiled brightly at her. "Sorry I left you alone for so long, I got … caught up." Bonnie shook her head to indicate she didn't mind, before something over Scarlett's attention grabbed her attention.

"Speaking of being caught up…" She trailed off as Tyler Lockwood came to stand beside them, a nervous smile on his lips. He nodded to Bonnie in greeting, before turning to Scarlett.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked quietly. Scarlett looked at Bonnie, hoping for an escape route, but the witch smiled broadly and stood up.

"She'd love to. I'm going to the ladies room anyway. I'll see you later, Scarlett." With that, she hurried up to the house, leaving Scarlet alone with her ex-boyfriend. She sighed softly, before standing and awkwardly placing her hand in his. Tyler's smile widened slightly as he led Scarlett to the dance floor. Pulling her into his arms, they slowly started to move, swaying gently to the music. An awkward silence engulfed them, and Scarlett looked anywhere but at Tyler, her gaze finding Stefan and Caroline stood to one side of the dance floor, champagne glasses in their hands.

"Scarlett, I wanted to say something to you…" Tyler said, drawing Scarlett's attention back to him. She looked up in to his dark eyes and frowned slightly.

"Oh? And what's that?" she asked. Tyler looked over her shoulder for a few moments to gather his thoughts, before staring down into her dark blue eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said simply. Scarlett blinked in shock, her mouth dropping open in surprise.

"You're … what?" she asked blankly.

"I know that I hurt you when I cheated on you, and I never apologised for that…" Scarlett could feel a bubble of hysterical laughter welling in her chest, and did nothing to stop it erupting. She could feel the curious gazes of people near them, but she didn't care – this moment was priceless.

"You choose now of all times to apologise to me? It's been over a year, Tyler," she said incredulously. Tyler nodded, his serious gaze never leaving her face.

"I know, but I didn't know how to face you. And I've been a bit of a … Well, to be honest, I've been a complete asshole to you ever since, and you didn't deserve that. I just … I wanted you to know how sorry I am for everything." He stared down at her, his dark eyes serious, and Scarlett frowned at the honesty she heard in his voice. She closed her eyes and carefully let down the barriers around her mind, searching for the emotions of the boy in front of her. All she could feel was honesty, and sadness, and just the tiniest glimmer of hope. Scarlett opened her eyes and smiled hesitantly up at Tyler.

"I can't forget what you did, Ty," she said softly, using his nickname for the first time in years. "And I can't forgive you, not yet." Tyler's face hardened at her words.

"I know that," he said quickly, but Scarlett raised a hand and placed a finger over his lips, cutting him off.

"But I can try," she finished quietly. Tyler looked confused for a moment, before a wide smile broke over his face. Leaning forward, he pulled Scarlett into a tight hug. Scarlett smiled slightly as she rested her chin on his broad shoulder, before her gaze fixed on a pair of frosty blue eyes staring intently at her. Pulling back from Tyler, she smiled up at him and stepped back into his arms to continue their dance.

Across the floor, Damon and Elena had finally arrived. They strolled over to where Stefan and Caroline were standing, champagne glasses in their hands.

"What did we miss?" Damon asked breezily as his gaze wandered back to Scarlett, watching as the Lockwood boy rested his hand on her exposed back. He wanted nothing more than to storm over there and rip the kid's hand off for having touched Scarlett's delicate skin, but instead he took a deep breath and focused his attention on his dish-rag of a brother.

"We were just chatting," Stefan said casually, smiling at Caroline. "Drink, Damon?" he asked, offering his brother his own glass of champagne. Damon smirked slightly – after Stefan's earlier attempt to poison him with vervain, there was no way in hell he would be accepting any liquids from his brother.

"No thanks, I'll pass." Stefan smiled challengingly before raising his glass in a sarcastic toast. Silence descended on the group, as Caroline and Elena glanced between the Salvatore's who seemed to be having a staring contest. Eventually, Elena had had enough. She turned to her boyfriend with a smile.

"Stefan, do you have another dance in you?" she asked as he focused his gaze on her. Stefan smiled and nodded, placing his glass on a table.

"Absolutely," he said, and taking her hand he led Elena to the dance floor just as another song started. Damon and Caroline watched them leave, before a gentle tinkle of laughter drew their attention to Scarlett and Tyler, who were still dancing. Tyler had apparently said something funny, as Scarlett's head was tilted back slightly as she laughed, a wide smile stretching her full lips.

"They still look so cute together," Caroline said quietly as she watched the pair dance. Damon stared at Scarlett's back, a dejected look on his face.

"Don't talk, please," he complained. Caroline looked at him in confusion, before glancing back at Scarlett. Thoughtful, she slowly sipped her champagne as she watched her friends dance.

* * *

After another dance with Tyler, Scarlett slipped away from the dance floor to find Bonnie – she had been an appalling date for the young witch. Entering the house, she found Elena and Bonnie sitting on a couch, a plate between them. Scarlett walked up to them and crouched down to their level.

"Mmm… chocolate cake, my favourite." Elena laughed as she handed Scarlett her fork and watched as the redhead cut a large bite of the gooey cake and placed it into her mouth. Her eyes closed and she moaned in delight, causing Bonnie and Elena to erupt with giggles. "Heaven on a plate," she murmured before handing the fork back to Elena. Scarlett was quiet as she watched Elena eat another bite of cake, taking in her downcast expression and frustrated mood. "Alright, spill. What's wrong with you?" Elena glanced up, her dark eyes wide.

"What? Nothing's wrong with me –"

"That's a load of rubbish, and you know it. So tell me what's wrong, before I confiscate your cake." Elena stuck her tongue out at Scarlett in response to her threat, before sighing dejectedly.

"Stefan and I … we got in to a fight," she said quietly. Scarlett's eyebrows rose towards her hairline in surprise; that she was not expecting.

"Oh? What about?" she asked carefully.

"I just, I want to know more about him, but he won't tell me anything, and then Damon –"

"Wait, Damon what?" Scarlett asked sharply, her gaze snapping to Elena. Elena shrugged slightly, prodding the remains of the cake with her fork.

"Well, Caroline told Bonnie that Stefan manipulated his ex-girlfriend, and that's why she and Damon broke up … and Stefan won't tell me anything about her, so I don't know what to believe." By the time Elena had finished talking, Scarlett was furious. Her eyes were cold as she stared at Elena.

"It sounds to me like Damon is the one doing the manipulating, because you've done exactly what he wanted," she said bluntly. Elena stared at her friend in shock – Scarlett had never spoken to her like that before.

"What are you talking about?" she asked defensively.

"Damon doesn't want Stefan to be happy, so he planted all these ideas in your head, making you doubt Stefan, and now you two are fighting. So tell me, Elena, who in this story sounds like the bad guy?" Without waiting for an answer Scarlett stood up, straightened her dress, and walked away from her friends. She quickly walked outside, feeling the need for some air, and snuck a glass of champagne from one of the waiters. Standing out on the veranda, she slowly sipped her drink as she watched the dancers, feeling her anger dissipating.

Feeling the need to apologise to her friend, Scarlett turned back towards the house only to collide with Elena as she hurried out of it.

"Scarlett, thank God I've found you," the brunette said quickly, holding a hand to her chest as she tried to catch her breath. Scarlett instantly felt her friend's distress seeping into her body, and reached out a hand to try and comfort her.

"Elena, what is it? What's wrong?" she asked, her voice sharper than she had intended. Elena glanced around to see if anyone was close enough to hear before locking gazes with Scarlett.

"It's Caroline - she has all these bruises on her body, and bite marks … I think Damon's hurting her, and she's all messed up in the head … We have to do something, Scarlett." Scarlett's gaze had gradually darkened as she listened to Elena. She nodded slowly when her friend had finished talking, then gripped her hands tightly.

"Elena, I want you to go and find Stefan," she said calmly, and waited for Elena to nod. "Tell him exactly what you've just told me, okay?" Elena nodded again and Scarlett turned to leave.

"Wait, what about Damon?" Elena asked, clutching on to Scarlett's arm before she could move. Scarlett glanced back at her friend before pulling her arm out of Elena's grip.

"Leave Damon to me," she said softly, her eyes scanning the crowd until she located the dark haired vampire. She found him standing near one side of the dance floor and immediately began stalking towards him, her black heels clacking on the patio. Damon turned when he heard her approach, a cocky smirk stretching across his face.

"Did you miss me, Scar?" he asked teasingly, not noticing the anger blazing in the petite redhead's blue eyes. Once Scarlett was standing in front of him, she shoved him back with all the force she could muster, causing him to stumble back a pace in surprise, his smirk instantly vanishing. Scarlett stepped up until she was right in front of Damon, glaring up in to his eyes with what Damon thought was loathing.

"Go near Caroline again, and I will end you," she hissed, her entire body quivering with rage. Damon stared down at her, intoxicated by her anger, her scent and the way her blood was rushing through her body, rising to the surface of her creamy skin. One corner of his mouth lifted as he smiled down at her, his eyes twinkling dangerously.

"Is that a threat, Scarlett?" he asked softly, reaching up a hand to brush back a lock of thick auburn hair that had fallen from her up-do. Scarlett batted his hand away with her clutch, her eyes never leaving his.

"No – it's a promise," she said firmly, before turning on her heel and stalking away. As Scarlett moved, her eyes scanned the crowd for Caroline, looking for a tell-tale flash of blonde hair, but her friend was nowhere to be seen. She was practically running, weaving her way through the crowds of party goers, ignoring friends who attempted to talk to her. All of her thoughts were focused on finding Caroline.

She decided to try something, something she had never done before. Concentrating on Caroline, she closed her eyes and reached out with her mind. She thought about her friend's bubbly personality and the fact that she was loyal to a fault. Scarlett thought about how Care had baked her a chocolate cake every week for three months after her mum died, then about how she had slapped Tyler around the face when she found out he had cheated on her best friend.

Using these memories, Scarlett found it easier to block out other people's emotions as she concentrated on locating Caroline. Moments later, a sense of fear crept into her mind. Caroline's fear. Opening her eyes, Scarlett followed the emotional trail Caroline had left behind her down towards the edge of the lake. She felt her own fear rise as she realised that Damon meant to kill her right now. Her heels kept sinking in to the soft ground as she hurried closer to where Caroline was.

Just as she was about to round a bend, an arm caught her around the waist and a hand clamped down over her mouth. Scarlett started to scream and tried to fight her way free.

"Hey, shh, Scarlett it's me." Scarlett calmed down as she heard Stefan's voice in her ear. She turned to face him, her eyes wide with panic.

"Stefan, Damon has Caroline, we have to –"

"Do you trust me?" Stefan asked her quickly, cutting her off. Scarlett frowned in confusion.

"What? Stefan, we don't have time –"

"Scarlett, do you trust me?" Stefan insisted, gripping the tops of her arms in his warm hands and shaking her gently. Scarlett stared into her godfathers' worried green eyes.

"Yes," she whispered. Stefan nodded before taking her hand.

"Then follow me – quietly." Stefan led her further along the lake, coming to a stop underneath a willow tree. Looking between the leafy green tendrils, Scarlett could just make out two figures. Damon was standing behind Caroline, his arm around her waist in an embrace. Suddenly, he plunged his fangs into the blonde's neck, and Stefan had to cover Scarlett's mouth again to muffle her cry. Damon and Caroline slowly sank to the floor before Damon reared back chocking then collapsed on to the ground.

Stefan tugged Scarlett forward by the wrist. Pulling away from her godfather, she hurried to Caroline's side and knelt down in the grass, leaning forward to check her pulse. Her eyes momentarily caught Damon's gaze, and she saw his pale blue eyes move from confusion to anger in a matter of seconds. Scarlett couldn't help but feel guilty.

"I knew I couldn't spike your drink," Stefan said from behind her. "So I spiked hers." Stefan crouched down beside his goddaughter and touched her shoulder. "How is she?" he asked softly.

"She's still breathing. Nothing a few days rest and some iron supplements won't fix," Scarlett replied, her voice wavering as she gazed down at her unconscious friend. Damon was gasping for air, the vervain in his system causing unimaginable pain. "We have to get him out of here before anyone sees." Stefan nodded and walked to Damon's side, scooping him over his shoulder with ease.

"Are you coming?" he asked. Scarlett took one last look at Caroline before nodding and following after her godfather.

* * *

Back at the Boarding House, Stefan carried Damon down to the basement and dropped him roughly on the cold, dusty floor of the cell which housed Zach's vervain stash. Scarlett hovered by the door, her fingers idly twisting the folds of her skirt into tight knots. She could feel Damon's pain, both physical and emotional, and it was killing her to be in such close proximity to him.

Stefan turned his back on his brother and left the cell, closing and bolting the door behind him. He looked into Scarlett's pain filled blue eyes as she stood beside Zach. He knew that Scarlett and Damon had formed some kind of bond, although he didn't know the depth of it yet. Stepping closer to her, he cupped her face in his hands and tilted her head so that he could look her straight in the eye.

"Scarlett, you have to promise me that you won't come down here," he said quietly. Scarlett tensed at his request. She understood his reason for making it. Somehow, Damon had wormed his way into her head, and Stefan was worried that he would use that connection to make Scarlett let him out.

"He hurt my friend, Stefan," Scarlett whispered. But it wasn't enough.

"Promise me," Stefan insisted, shaking his goddaughter ever so slightly. Scarlett took a deep breath, closing her eyes so that she wouldn't have to look into his piercing green orbs.

"I promise." Stefan nodded silently, before ushering her and Zach out of the basement. Zach and Stefan retired to the study to discuss plans for Damon's eventual removal to the family crypt, while Scarlett ambled up the stairs to her bedroom

Closing the door behind her, she turned to look at herself in her full length mirror. What a difference a night made; her hair hung limply about her shoulders, her knees were scuffed with dirt and her dress was creased beyond imagining. As she stared blankly into the glass, a shadow appeared over her shoulder - a shadow with hypnotising blue eyes.

Scarlett gasped at the sight and spun to face it, but there was nothing there. She took a deep breath to calm her rapidly beating heart, before kicking off her heels and crawling fully dressed into her bed. She pulled the duvet firmly over her head and closed her eyes, instantly consumed by pain and loneliness.

It was going to be a long night…

* * *

**So... what do you think? Comments, questions and ideas are always welcome. The more you review, the faster I update =]**

**I've had a couple of people asking me what actress I imagine Scarlett to look like; If you know of Emilia Clarke, picture her with longer, redder hair and paler skin and you're just about there!**

**Also, massive thanks to grapejuice101 for the lovely Polyvore poster she's done for this fic, link on my profile page.**

**Anyway, I'm taking a few days off from FanFiction to work on my original story, a link for which can be found on my Profile Page. But come back soon for more! xxx**


	5. You're Undead To Me

**A/N: Massive apologies for the extremely late update. Family problems, not much of an excuse I realise, but oh well... Here's a new chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me (sadly).**

* * *

Scarlett didn't get to sleep at all that night. In fact, she didn't sleep for three nights straight following Damon's imprisonment. She walked around the Boarding House like a zombie, her skin dull and her eyes shadowed from lack of sleep. Never had Scarlett hated her empathic ability quite as much as she did right then. Damon's constant suffering made it impossible for her to shut her eyes for more than five minutes without wanting to scream.

Three days after the Founders Party, Scarlett was lying in bed, staring up at her ceiling. She could feel Damon's presence at the back of her mind, something the vervain in her locket couldn't prevent. There was a soft knock on the door before it quietly slid open and Stefan backed into the room, carrying a mug of steaming coffee. It was the only thing that was currently keeping Scarlett sane – that and freezing cold showers to wake up her exhausted body.

Sitting up and leaning on the driftwood headboard, Scarlett gladly accepted the mug of coffee from her godfather, taking a sip and letting out a low sigh of contentment. Stefan perched on the edge of the bed and fixed his goddaughter with a troubled gaze. Her auburn hair had lost its natural, healthy glow and the dark bruises under Scarlett's eyes spoke volumes.

"You can't stay in bed forever, Scarlett," he said quietly. Scarlett raised her dark blue eyes to his and gave him an apathetic stare. Without saying a word, she pushed off her duvet and climbed out of bed, traipsed over to the sofa in the corner and flung herself down on it, pulling a blanket across her pyjama clad knees to stay warm. Stefan sighed and shook his head in despair. "Scarlett, come on…"

"When your head feels like it's going to implode thanks to a homicidal vampire's crazy emotions, then you can tell me what to do Uncle Stefan," she said bluntly. Stefan was taken aback – Scarlett hadn't called him called him Uncle in weeks. He frowned in thought.

"Maybe it would be good for you to get out of the house. Distance yourself from Damon," he commented. Scarlett glared at him again as she took another sip of coffee.

"It's not Halloween yet; I can't go to school looking like a zombie." Stefan chuckled slightly at her honest assessment. Walking over to her, he snatched the blanket from across Scarlett's knees and threw it across the back of a chair.

"Well then, you'd better go and pretty yourself up, hadn't you?" he said teasingly before striding from the room. Scarlett glared after him as she shivered involuntarily. Sometimes she hated it when her godfather was right. She downed the rest of her coffee, burning her throat slightly in the process, before hurrying to her bathroom to take an extra-long shower. When she was finished, she glanced at her reflection in the mirror and flinched in horror. The dark circles under her eyes were so bad it looked like someone had punched her in the nose. She did the best she could at covering them up with makeup, before dressing in light blue jeans and a black vest top and cardigan.

"Scarlett, time to go," Stefan's voice echoed from downstairs. Slipping on a pair of Converse, the redhead grabbed her schoolbag and her phone then ran down the stairs, before hurtling along the corridor into the kitchen and running straight in to Zach. He grabbed her around the waist before she lost her balance and set her on her feet with a smile and a kiss on the forehead.

"I didn't know you were so desperate to get away from me," he laughed. Scarlett rolled her eyes as she blushed, her eyes finding Stefan a few feet away with an enormous grin on his face. Zach pressed a banana muffin into her hand, and Scarlett smiled at him in thanks then glanced towards the door that led down to the basement.

"How's Damon?" she asked softly, well aware that he would still be able to hear her, despite the generous amount of vervain in his system. Stefan sighed as his gaze travelled in the same direction as hers before he turned back to Zach.

"He's awake. He's weak, but it's probably best to stay out of the basement. He's Damon – I'm not sure how dangerous he still might be." Stefan tilted his head towards the door, and he and Scarlett headed towards it before Zach's voice stopped them in their tracks.

"You're both going to school?" he asked incredulously. Scarlett nodded vaguely as she began braiding her hair over one shoulder to keep it out of the way.

"Desiccating vampire in the basement isn't exactly a decent excuse to skive off school," she said with an ironic smile. Stefan nodded in agreement.

"And I came here to live a life; it's about time I get back to that … And Elena, if she's still speaking to me."

"She's not," Scarlett muttered, causing Stefan's penetrating gaze to snap to hers. Zach, on the other hand, ignored her remark completely.

"Why haven't you called her?" he asked.

"What am I supposed to do? Feed her another lie? I hate lying to her Zach; I'm not good at it. She already thinks I'm hiding something…"

"What choice do you have?"

"You could always tell her the truth," Scarlett inputted, but again she was ignored by the Salvatore's.

"You came back here because you wanted to live as normal a life as you could, you knew this was gonna be a part of it." Scarlett suddenly felt incredibly uncomfortable. Zach's frustration at Stefan was starting to creep into her mind, and mixed with the continuous pain of Damon's emotions, it was causing an extremely nasty headache.

"Stefan, can you drive today? I'm really not feeling up to it," she said quietly, holding her keys out to him. Stefan gazed at her in concern as he nodded, and then ushered her out of the door and to her car.

The drive to school was quiet. Scarlett spent the time eating her muffin and meticulously arranging the barriers around her mind. However, she found it impossible to completely shut herself off from Damon. She wasn't sure if that was because of his strength, or because of her own messed up feelings about the blue eyed vampire. She was so confused – she knew exactly what Damon was, and what he'd done, and yet she couldn't fight the growing sense of attraction she felt for him.

"Scarlett?" Stefan's soft voice penetrated Scarlett's inner monologue, and she glanced across the car to her godfather who was watching her carefully. "We're here." The redhead smiled absently as she climbed out of the car and slung her schoolbag over one shoulder. Slipping a pair of aviator sunglasses onto her nose, she followed Stefan through the bustling corridors to Elena's locker. Scarlett grimaced as she overheard the tail end of Elena and Bonnie's conversation – Caroline.

"Unbelievable. It's like nothing happened," the tall brunette told Bonnie, who shrugged in response.

"She's in denial." Stefan hesitantly approached the two girls, and caught their attention.

"Hey," he said softly, his green eyes finding Elena's. Bonnie glanced between the two of them, before her eyes landed on Scarlett who still sported her sunglasses.

"Scarlett, hey! Uh, we gotta go, uh, be somewhere right now," she said quickly before grabbing Scarlett's arm and hurrying her away from the inevitable argument.

"Woah, Bonnie. Take it easy," Scarlett said, gently easing her arm out of her friend's vice-like grip. The dark haired girl smiled in embarrassment.

"Sorry, I didn't want to witness any Stefan Elena drama." The corner of Scarlett's mouth quirked up in a half smile as she pushed her sunglasses on to the top of her head. Bonnie's eyes widened in shock.

"Oh my God, Scarlett… What happened?" Scarlett frowned in confusion before she remembered the dark circles under her eyes that she'd been unable to hide properly.

"Oh, that. I just haven't been sleeping very well lately," she said evasively, opening her locker to get out the books she would need for first period. Bonnie leant against the lockers next to her, her dark eyes never leaving Scarlett's face.

"You should be at home resting." Scarlett shook her head as she closed her locker.

"Not exactly the most relaxing place at the moment, Bon." The witch frowned before nodding in understanding.

"Damon?" Scarlett made a small noise in confirmation as they began to make their way to class. "You know you can stay at mine whenever you want. Or we could go to my grams' place, she loves seeing you." Scarlett's smile was warm as she wrapped an arm around her Bonnie's shoulder and gave her a side hug.

"Have I ever told you how awesome you are, Bonnie Bennett?" she asked, her blue eyes twinkling with their typical mischievousness. Bonnie grinned in response.

"Not today," she teased, and the two girls laughed brightly as they walked to class.

* * *

After school, Stefan drove Scarlett back to the Boarding House. Studying her in the car, she seemed far more relaxed than she had this morning, and her lips were curved into a small smile as she leant her forehead against the cool glass of the window.

"You seem happier this afternoon," he commented. Scarlett's blue gaze met his briefly before his eyes turned back to the road, and her smile widened.

"I am," the red head said with confidence. Stefan grinned as he pulled up in front of their home, and wrapped an arm around his goddaughter as they made their way inside.

"You know I'm always here for you if you need me, right?" he asked as they both dropped their school bags by the front door. Scarlett slipped her cardigan off and threw it across the back of a chair before turning to her godfather.

"I know, Uncle Stefan. You don't have to keep reminding me," she said with a smile. Suddenly, Stefan's eyes snapped towards the door to the basement, his forehead creasing with a frown. With a gust of wind, he disappeared down the steps to the basement. Scarlett flew after him; her feet pounding down the stairs, and arrived just in time to see her godfather pull Zach from Damon's grasp.

Zach collapsed to the floor clutching his throat as he gasped for air. Scarlett hurried towards her uncle, helping him stand. She pulled his hand away from his throat and examined the already bruising skin with a critical eye.

"Keep it up, Damon," Stefan said angrily through the bars of the door. "The more energy you expend the faster you'll go." He turned towards Scarlett, annoyance evident in his forest green eyes. Without saying a word, he ushered Zach and Scarlett up the stairs and into the kitchen.

"What were you doing down there, Zach?" Scarlett asked as she got him a glass of water. Zach smiled as she handed him the glass and downed half of the contents before he replied.

"I was feeling sentimental," he said sarcastically. Scarlett scoffed as she picked up an apple from the fruit bowl and took a large bite.

"I told you not to go down there," Stefan said, frustrated. "Just because Damon's weak, doesn't mean he's not dangerous."

"No kidding," Scarlett said around a mouthful of apple. Stefan shot her a quick glare before running a hand through his messy hair.

"I have to meet Elena at the Grill." Scarlett glanced at the clock on the wall. Stefan's gaze followed hers and he swore softly. "And I'm already late," he groaned, before disappearing from the room at vampire speed. Scarlett rolled her eyes at her godfather's behaviour before grabbing a bottle of water and a chocolate bar from the fridge.

"Got any plans that I should know about? As a respectable guardian, that is," Zach asked with a slight smile. Scarlett sighed as she leaned against the kitchen counter.

"Just homework; an essay on the effects of Shakespeare on modern literature." Zach looked at Scarlett blankly. "I take it you're not going to be much help with this topic," Scarlett teased. Zach smiled slightly before fixing Scarlett with a worried stare.

"I know that we haven't really had time to hang out since Stefan came to town, but I want you to know I'm here for you. Whatever you need, whenever you need it." Scarlett smiled at Zach. He had been a part of her life for as long as she could remember. When her mum got pregnant she had fled Boston and her parents and returned to Mystic Falls. It was Zach who had taken her in and helped her raise Scarlett – he was the only father she had ever known. She smiled before hugging him tightly and kissing his cheek.

"Don't worry Zach, we have all the time in the world to catch up," she said brightly. Zach smiled in return, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"You're right, of course," he said quietly. "Now, go and do your homework before I ground you!" Scarlett laughed as she skipped out of the kitchen and up the stairs to her bedroom. She could still feel Damon's presence in her mind, trying to find a way past her mental barriers, so she put on her music and turned up the volume. Getting out her books, she slid a pair of reading glasses onto her nose and got to work.

* * *

Barely an hour later, Stefan hurried into Scarlett's bedroom and promptly turned her music off. The redhead frowned as her concentration was broken.

"I was listening to that, Stefan," she said, her voice tinged with annoyance. Stefan made no reply, but instead sat on the edge of her bed and held his head in his hands. Scarlett eyed him over the rim of her glasses; his entire body was tensed, whether with stress or something else, she wasn't sure. "What's wrong?" she asked quietly. Stefan was silent for a few moments, before he sighed and turned to face his goddaughter.

"Elena. She's asking questions, and I can't answer them…" Scarlett removed her glasses and set them on her nightstand before reaching to take Stefan's hand.

"You can tell her, you just won't," she replied. Stefan's eyebrows lowered and he opened his mouth to respond. "No, don't tell me I'm wrong, Stefan. All I'm hearing is how much you want to be with her, but you won't tell her the most basic thing about yourself." Stefan's mouth closed as he considered Scarlett's words. "Trust works both ways, Uncle Stefan," Scarlett continued softly. "Maybe if you trust her a bit more, she'll return the favour."

Stefan gazed at his goddaughter in wonder – what had happened to the tiny baby he'd known seventeen years ago? When had she become this wise, confident young woman? There was an odd stirring in his chest, and he frowned slightly before he realised what it was; pride.

"What should I do?" Scarlett smiled mischievously at him before reaching to pick up her phone.

"Go to her house, I'll get Jeremy to let you in," Scarlett said as she started typing quickly on her phone. "Cook her dinner – chicken parmigiana is her favourite. And talk." Scarlett's eyes were warm as she smiled at her godfather. "Let her know what a wonderful person you are. Besides, once she's tasted your cooking, she'll be putty in your hands!" Stefan laughed at her optimism. Standing up, he leant over and dropped a kiss on Scarlett's forehead.

"Don't ever change, Scarlett," he said quietly before turning and walking out of her room. Scarlett gazed after him, a small smile on her lips. A movement in the corner of her eye drew her gaze, and she gasped in shock. Sat on her window ledge was a large, black crow. The same crow she had now come to realise heralded Damon's appearance. Her dark blue eyes narrowed in a glare, and she threw her book on Shakespeare at the bird, causing it to caw madly and fly away.

"Leave me alone, Damon," Scarlett murmured, before replacing her glasses on her nose and turning her music back on.

* * *

Damon smirked when he heard Scarlett's voice. He knew he was getting to her. Ever since Stefan had locked him in the cellar to rot, Damon had been using what was left of his energy to annoy the redhead, but it wasn't working properly.

"Empath," he muttered to himself, his dry throat protesting at its use. Four days without blood had severely taken its toll on Damon. He could feel his veins starting to rub together like pieces of parchment, and his dead heart was constricting painfully in his chest. Once more, he reached out with his mind, searching for the presence of the girl whose face had haunted him for the past four days.

Damon could feel her frustration – at him? No, at her work; some silly essay for school. Slowly, so that her mental defences wouldn't notice, he eased into her mind, pushing into her subconscious.

"Scarlett…" he whispered, his voice hoarse from disuse. She heard him, he knew she heard him. Damon felt a stabbing sensation in his head as he was forced from Scarlett's mind. He groaned in pain as his mind cast around for any other option; he had to get of this cell. He needed blood. His smirk returned as he centred in on another mind, one without Scarlett's defences.

"Caroline…" Damon's smirk widened as he felt her response. Evidently he'd be free sooner than his brother anticipated, and then he'd finally have a taste of that tempting little empath.

* * *

Scarlett was rudely awoken by the shrill ringing of her phone. She groaned as she scrambled out from under her duvet and grabbed the offending item off the nightstand, placing it to her ear without checking the caller ID.

"What?" she said grumpily.

"Put on a bikini and get your sexy self to the carwash." Caroline's voice was far too cheerful for Scarlett to deal with. She flopped back down on the bed, groaning into her pillow.

"I'm not a cheerleader, Caroline. I don't have to help at the carwash," she argued, her eyes drooping closed as she attempted to get back to sleep.

"Come on Scarlett, one of the girls has come down with mono, and I need another pair of hands. Besides, you are my friend and you are sexy, so you have to help me."

"You just had to pull out the friend card, didn't you Care?" Scarlett grumbled as she clambered out of bed and slowly made her way to her bathroom. Caroline squealed in excitement and Scarlett grimaced as the noise penetrated her foggy brain.

"Scarlett, you're the best friend ever!" Caroline exclaimed. "Just remember, two pieces only. We're going for full blown sex appeal." Scarlett couldn't help but smile at her friend's enthusiasm.

"See you later Caroline," she said before ending the call and putting her phone beside the sink. After a quick shower, Scarlett hurriedly dried her hair and wove it into a fishtail braid, leaving a few flaming tendrils to frame her face. Wandering back into her bedroom, Scarlett started digging through a chest of drawers to find a decent bikini. She picked out a bright turquoise strapless number which she teamed with a pair of shorts that were practically non-existent.

Scarlett grinned as she examined herself in the mirror. Stefan and Zach were going to be furious when they saw what she was wearing. Damon would like it though… Scarlett mentally slapped herself for letting her mind drift to the blue eyed vampire in the basement. It shouldn't matter to her whether he liked her outfit or not. Slipping on a pair of flip flops, Scarlett hurried downstairs and out of the front door without anyone seeing her.

When she arrived at the school carwash, it was already busy. Music blared as Scarlett swiftly made her way towards Caroline, who seemed to be enjoying ordering everyone around. The blonde quickly caught sight of her friend, and a wide grin stretched across her face.

"Scarlett, you made it!" The redhead smiled in response as she embraced Caroline in a quick hug.

"What are friends for?" she asked, her voice laced with a hint of sarcasm. Caroline rolled her eyes as she led Scarlett over to a table, where they were joined by Elena. The brunette looked tired and stressed, but she smiled none the less as she and Scarlett stood before Caroline to receive their orders.

"Scarlett, seeing as you're properly dressed for a charity carwash -" Caroline paused to throw a glare at Elena, who was still wearing a red hoody, "- you can help Bonnie and Matt over there." She gestured vaguely in the direction of the carwash, and Scarlett smiled before winking at Elena and skipping over to her friends. Matt was the first to see her arrival, and he grinned brightly at her.

"Well, hello there gorgeous, what's your number?" he asked teasingly. Scarlett grabbed a wet sponge from a nearby bucket of water and launched it at Matt's face, hitting him square between the eyes. She and Bonnie laughed merrily as Matt wiped his face off with a towel.

The three of them quickly got to work washing the car, but soon enough Matt became distracted, staring silently towards the payment desk. Bonnie elbowed Scarlett and nodded in the direction Matt was looking, and Scarlett sighed as she saw her godfather leaning in to kiss Elena, smiles on both their faces.

"Uh uh, there will be none of that tortured pining today, Mattie," Scarlett said as she wiped the windshield with a towel.

"I'm just observing," Matt defended himself. Scarlett threw a disbelieving look at Bonnie, who smiled sadly at her friend. Neither of them liked seeing Matt in pain, but they both realised that it was time he moved on and forgot about Elena. Another car pulled up beside them, and Bonnie turned to find someone who could wash it.

"Tiki, this one's yours." A tall, dark haired girl turned and sighed in disappointment.

"Why do I always get the homey ones? Just to be clear, your car's a P.O.S. I mean, we can wash it, but it's still a P.O.S." Scarlett scowled at Tiki – she didn't need her empathic abilities to know that what the girl had said had really hurt the guy who was getting out of the car.

"You don't have to be rude," Bonnie told Tiki, her own face marred with a frown.

"Rude is uglying up the road with that junker," Tiki said, her voice loud enough to carry to the driver who had begun to move away. Scarlett rolled her eyes at Tiki's obvious lack of tact, and returned her attention to the car she was washing. No sooner had she done so, than a familiar surge of power rippled towards her. She turned quickly to see a bucket of water literally explode on Tiki, and the hosepipe she was holding went out of control, spraying everyone with freezing water.

Scarlett felt a hand grasp her wrist, and she looked sideways to see Bonnie, her eyes glued to the scene before them, fear evident on her face. Scarlett distantly noticed Matt run to help Tiki, but her attention was focused on the witch beside her, who remained focused on Tiki.

"Bonnie? Are you okay?" Scarlett felt her friend jolt as if waking from a day dream, and her wide hazel eyes turned to gaze into Scarlett's blue ones.

"What was that?" Bonnie asked nervously. Scarlett hesitated before shrugging one shoulder.

"I'm not sure," she replied, her voice soft and reassuring. Bonnie continued to stare at Scarlett for a moment before she realised that she was holding the redhead's arm in a vice-like grip. She blushed and stammered an apology before hurrying away to get more towels. Scarlett stared after her friend until she felt a presence beside her.

"What do you think you're wearing?" Her godfather's voice was simmering with barely leashed anger. Scarlett took a deep breath before turning to face his furious green eyes.

"Calm down, Stefan," she murmured. "Your parental concern could easily be mistaken for a jealous boyfriend, considering I'm the only one here who knows how old you are." Stefan closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he tried to contain his emotions. Not that it helped Scarlett very much – her godfather was so angry, that even with her mental barriers up she could feel his emotions brushing the edges of her mind.

"I cannot believe you left the house looking like that – does Zach know?" Scarlett rolled her eyes at Stefan as she moved towards Matt, who was beginning work on another car.

"Oh come on, Stefan. It's the twenty-first century. I can't exactly walk around in a nineteenth-century bathing suit now, can I?" she asked, a small smirk quirking one corner of her mouth. Stefan sighed again, his mood brightening slightly at Scarlett's teasing.

"Fine, but don't let Zach see you dressed like that." Scarlett grinned and skipped over to give him a swift hug before nodding over his shoulder.

"I think your girlfriend is missing you," she said with a smile before re-joining Matt washing cars. They managed to get a couple more finished before an odd tingle crept up Scarlett's spine. It was somehow familiar, almost as if she had felt it before. She glanced around the parking lot, but nothing seemed amiss.

"Matt, I'm going to find Caroline. We need some more towels," she said absently. The blonde nodded in response, but Scarlett barely noticed as she made her way over to the payment stall where Elena was sitting.

"Hey Lena, have you seen Caroline?" Scarlett asked. Elena frowned at her friend; Scarlett seemed unusually tense.

"She went to get some clean towels, but that was a while ago." Another tingle ran down Scarlett's spine at Elena's words. She had a really bad feeling about something, but she wasn't sure what. Nodding her head distractedly, she began to back away from Elena.

"If Stefan asks, will you tell him I've gone home for a bit? I'll be back later." Without waiting for a response, Scarlett turned on her heel and strode towards her car. Something in the back of her mind was telling her to get back to the Boarding House and check that everything was alright. Flinging herself into the driver's seat of her car, she quickly put it into gear and set off towards the outskirts of town.

Scarlett's stomach was churning nervously by the time she parked outside the Boarding House. She slid out of the car and paused, staring pensively up at the house. Something didn't feel right. Walking slowly so that her feet didn't make too much sound, the made her way towards the front door, stopping dead in her tracks when she saw that it was wide open. The sun blazed overhead but it did nothing to warm her suddenly frozen skin.

Scarlett's breathing was shallow as she hesitantly walked through the front door. A rich, coppery scent invaded her senses. She glanced down, clapping a hand to her mouth in disgust as she saw the mutilated form of a crow on the floor, its blood seeping into the carpet. There was only one person in the house who would do something like that – _Damon._

"Well, you're looking positively delectable today, Miss Scarlett." Scarlett's heartbeat seemed to stop as she heard his smooth, sensual voice. She turned slowly on the spot, her wide eyed gaze focusing on his sky blue eyes, slightly narrowed as they trailed over her scantily clad body. One corner of Damon's mouth curled up when he heard Scarlett's heartbeat pick up speed as he leisurely scrutinised her slender form. He felt his own dead heart stir as his eyes caught hers, holding her captivated.

Damon took a slow, predatory step forward, forcing Scarlett further into the house and further away from front door. His eyes left hers to gaze at her lips, before finally landing on her neck, finding the delicate pulse point throbbing just above her collarbone.

"How did you get out?" Scarlett asked breathily, cursing herself internally for sounding so weak. Damon's head tilted slightly to one side as he advanced once again, his mouth watering as her delicate scent floated towards him.

"No thanks to you, to be sure," he said softly, his voice almost a hiss as Scarlett continued to back slowly away from him. Her feet hesitated on the two steps leading down into the front parlour, and she quickly glanced behind her before returning her gaze to Damon. Scarlett let out an involuntary gasp – in the brief second her eyes had been averted, Damon had moved forward until he was barely an inch away from her. He raised one hand and gently caressed her neck with his knuckles, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Scarlett's ear.

"You don't want to do this, Damon," Scarlett whispered, her voice trembling, whether from fear or excitement, she couldn't tell. Damon's gaze snapped to hers as his eyes clouded with bloodlust. He could feel his fangs lengthening, and saw Scarlett's pupils dilate, but something in his mind wondered whether she felt desire rather than repulsion. Her blue eyes stared back at him, taking in the dark veins which stood out against his pale skin and the sharply pointed canines the gleamed wickedly as he smiled at her.

Time seemed to stop as Damon leaned forward, his mouth hovering over the fragile skin of Scarlett's neck. He breathed in her scent, letting the rich perfume flood his senses, before grazing his teeth over the point where her blood throbbed so invitingly. Scarlett's eyes closed unbidden, her mind and body caught up in the spell Damon had been weaving over her ever since they had met. Just as she felt his fangs touch her skin, Scarlett's eyes flew open as a wave of panic crashed through her body.

Damon screamed in pain, collapsing to the ground as he cradled his head in his hands. Scarlett barely spared him a glance before she sprinted towards the open front door. As soon as she felt the warm sunlight on her bare skin, Scarlett turned back to face Damon. He was back on his feet, lingering in the shadows, a look of anger and confusion evident on his face.

"How did you do that?" he asked harshly. Scarlett took a step back even though she knew he couldn't reach her while the sun was still up. Her hands clenched tightly at her sides as Damon's eyes bored into hers.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied tightly. Damon reached out towards her, but pulled back quickly as his hand began to burn in the sunlight. He growled in frustration and ran a hand through his messy black hair.

"You may think you're safe out there, Scar, but it'll be dark soon enough. And I'm a very patient man…" His lips curved into a tantalising smirk as he watched the redhead stumble back to her car and throw it into gear before speeding down the drive.

Scarlett tried to calm her breathing as she drove back towards town. Her mind was working in overdrive. What had happened? Was she seriously going to just stand there and let Damon bite her? She shook her head, trying to concentrate on the road. Of course she wouldn't have let a vampire bite her; that was ridiculous. Her hands were shaking on the steering wheel, so she pulled over to the side of the road and retrieved her mobile from the passenger seat. She quickly dialled Stefan's number and waited for him to pick up.

"Scarlett? Where are you?" Scarlett took a deep breath when she heard her godfather's voice, and unexplainable tears started to slide down her cheeks.

"We have a problem, Uncle Stefan," she murmured between sobs.

"Where are you?" Scarlett looked outside, trying to find some kind of landmark that would let her know where on earth she was.

"Near Wickery Bridge… I had to stop the car… Damon, he –" Her voice trailed off as her breathing started to become irregular, and she brushed fresh tears away with the back of her hand.

"I'll be right there. Scarlett, lock the doors and don't open them until I get there, okay?" Scarlett made a small sound in the back of her throat to let Stefan know she'd heard him before hanging up and dropping her phone back onto the passenger's seat. Glancing at herself in the rear-view mirror, Scarlett saw a version of herself that hadn't existed since her mum's death.

There was a gentle tap on the window, and Scarlett let out a piercing scream until she saw who was standing outside her car. Opening the door, she clambered out and flung herself into her godfather's arms as her body was wracked with silent sobs. Stefan held her close, one hand brushing gently against the top of her head as Scarlett cried into his shoulder.

"You're safe, Scarlett, I promise. No one's ever gonna hurt you," he said soothingly. Slowly, Scarlett's sobs turned to quiet sniffles and she pulled back, leaning against her car door. Stefan's dark green eyes gazed into her own blue ones, as he rubbed his hands up and down her arms. "What happened, Scarlett?" he asked calmly. Scarlett drew her bottom lip between her teeth and gnawed it for a few moments before she replied.

"Damon… He got out, I don't know how. He tried to bite me, but I stopped him, and then I ran…" Stefan's forehead creased in a frown.

"Wait, how did you stop him?" he queried. Scarlett was no witch, and even as weak as he was, Stefan knew that Damon would have been able to overpower her. He watched as his goddaughter's dark blue eyes widened in fear.

"I don't know. One minute, he was about to bite me, and then I panicked, and he screamed and collapsed, and I ran. What's happening to me, Stefan?" she asked, her voice wavering as more tears spilled down her cheeks. Stefan shook his head – he had no idea what was happening to her. He knew next to nothing about empath's and their powers, so he had no idea if this was a normal progression or if he should be worried. Right now, though, it was nearly dark and he had a homicidal brother to deal with.

"Do you have somewhere safe you can go? Not the Boarding House?" Scarlett mentally listed her friends. She couldn't go to Elena's house – Damon had been invited in there. And he must be able to get into Caroline's as well. That left…

"Bonnie. I can go to her gram's place. I'll be safe there." Stefan nodded, more to himself than in response to Scarlett. The Bennett's were powerful witches. There was no safer place in town right now.

"I want you to drive straight to Bonnie's gram's place. Don't stop for anyone, do you understand?" He stared at Scarlett, his eyes portraying the seriousness of his request. She nodded, her shoulders tensing in determination and Stefan smiled reassuringly at her. "I'll fix this, I promise," he whispered, before kissing Scarlett's forehead and ushering her into her car.

Scarlett turned on the ignition and put the car into gear, turning to briefly smile at Stefan, before driving back into town. She followed his orders and didn't stop for anything until she pulled up outside of Sheila Bennett's two-storey house. Running up to the porch, Scarlett knocked frantically on the door, her blue eyes scanning the night, sure that Damon would come swooping out of the darkness to finish what he had started earlier.

The sound of murmuring voices reached her from inside, and moments later the door opened to reveal an elderly lady with curly brown hair and dark eyes. Sheila Bennett smiled widely as she saw who was stood on her porch, but her smile quickly turned to worry as she saw the tear tracks that traced their way down Scarlett's pale face.

"Two crying girls on my doorstep in one night – what am I going to do with you both?" she said gently as she pulled Scarlett in for a brief but warm hug. Scarlett breathed deeply, feeling completely safe for the first time in weeks as she embraced the older woman. "Now, inside with you, little Scarlett. You and Bonnie need warmth and sleep, and then we'll deal with your problems in the morning." Sheila guided the redhead into her living room, where Bonnie was curled up on the couch. As soon as she saw her friend, the brunette rose and embraced her tightly. Scarlett could feel Bonnie shaking slightly as she cried, and pulled her tighter. Whatever was going on in this town, they would get through it together.

* * *

**Okay, so this is the shortest chapter so far... But I think I made up for it with a suitably steamy Damon/Scarlett scene ;) What did you all think? Comments and reviews always welcome, and I'll try and get the next chapter up a bit faster!**

**Much love xx**


	6. Lost Girls

**Disclaimer: Happy Halloween! As always, nothing belongs to me, just Scarlett. Enjoy...**

* * *

Scarlett stared blankly at the plain white ceiling of Bonnie's bedroom. The young witch slept beside her; her deep, even breathing should have helped sooth Scarlett's nerves, but it only made her more anxious. The moon shone brightly through the window, beckoning to the creatures of the night. Creatures like Damon. He would be out now, feeding on the nearest passer-by, of that Scarlett had no doubt.

Reaching for her phone, Scarlett's eyes scanned the screen for new messages – nothing. Had Stefan found his brother yet? Was he safe? Scarlett couldn't lie there waiting to find out what had happened. Climbing quietly out of bed so as not to wake Bonnie, Scarlett tiptoed downstairs and into the kitchen, where she sat at the breakfast table. She scrolled down her contacts list until she found her godfather's name, then pressed call.

The phone rang, and rang, before finally going to voicemail. Scarlett gnawed on her full bottom lip as she waited to leave a message.

"Stefan, it's me. Where are you? Did you find him? I just… I wanted to make sure you were okay. Call me soon." Placing the phone on the counter, Scarlett buried her face in her arms and sighed deeply. Apparently it was going to be yet another long night.

* * *

Damon moaned in ecstasy as he drained his last victim dry. He used the man's sleeve to wipe his mouth before standing and dragging the body over to the fire. He didn't think the town would believe another animal attack, and he wanted to hang around for a while longer. He had business in Mystic Falls, and besides, Scarlett was becoming more intriguing by the minute. He still didn't know how she'd managed to bring him to his knees that afternoon, but he was determined to find out.

There was a half empty bottle of vodka perched on top of a crate – Damon eyed it, an idea coming to mind, before picking it up. He strolled over to another body, searched the pockets and finding nothing, splashed alcohol all over it. He did the same thing with the next body, but this time his hand found a mobile phone in the man's jacket pocket. He smiled in triumph as he typed in Stefan's number and held the phone to his ear. Damon took a quick swig of vodka just as his brother answered with a gruff 'hello'.

"I want my ring," Damon said firmly.

"Where are you?" Stefan asked, worry evident in his voice. Damon smirked as he moved towards the fire.

"I'm at the sizzler. I had the buffet." He picked up a flaming branch and strolled casually around the cemetery, setting light to the alcohol drenched bodies. "Where's my ring?"

"I don't have it. Where are you? What have you done?" Stefan asked again, his voice becoming impatient.

"No… What have you done?" Damon drawled. "You're the one that locked me in the basement and starved me, so whatever I've done, and whoever I've sucked dry is on you, buddy."

"You're being careless – how many more animal attacks is this town gonna believe, huh?" Damon scoffed at his brother's question – Stefan had no idea what it meant to be a vampire anymore.

"I know how to cover my tracks, Stefan. Where's my ring?" he asked again, beginning to lose his patience.

"I gave it to Zach to hide," Stefan said. Damon stopped in his tracks, a tremor of worry passing through his body. "You probably shouldn't have killed him." Damon frowned before his face broke into a slight smirk and he chuckled – Stefan was bluffing.

"You almost got me… Where is it?" Stefan hesitated before he replied.

"I'll get it back, but I need time."

"What, did you FedEx it to Rome? Where is it?" Damon asked impatiently. "I want my ring Stefan, or my next stop's Elena's. Or, even better, how about I track down your little goddaughter and take a bite out of her?" Damon could hear his brother growl at the end of the line.

"I already want you dead; don't give me another reason to make it happen."

"Don't give me another reason to rip you apart."

"Oh yeah? Is that gonna be before or after you get your ring back," Stefan asked sarcastically.

"Just get it," Damon said simply, before snapping the phone shut, effectively ending the conversation. Looking around the area he noticed the body of a girl lying in the shadows, so he picked up the nearly empty bottle of alcohol and walked over to her. Just as he began splashing what was left of the vodka over her body, the girl coughed as she began to regain consciousness. Damon frowned as he caught sight of her face – he recognised her. Crouching beside her, he examined her more closely. It was the girl he'd bitten the night he'd arrived. What did Scarlett say her name was… Vicki? The girl groaned in pain as her head moved restlessly.

"You just don't wanna die, do you?" he asked with a smirk, knowing she couldn't hear him. As he watched her, his smirk widened almost imperceptibly. Perhaps he could have a bit of fun with this one…

* * *

Scarlett jolted awake as her phone began to ring, nearly falling off of the kitchen chair where she had fallen asleep. She pressed the answer button without looking to see who was calling and raised the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" Her voice was surprisingly alert, considering she'd just woken up.

"Elena knows." Her godfather's voice was weary, for once sounding exactly as old as he was. Scarlett chewed her bottom lip as she brushed her long, auburn hair over her shoulder.

"How did she find out?" she asked softly, highly aware of the fact that there were two other people in the house, both of them witches. She didn't want to wake them and be faced with their questions.

"She guessed… Too many mysterious occurrences, I suppose." Scarlett didn't know what to say, so she remained silent. It was obvious that Stefan was stressed and upset, but there wasn't much she could do sat at Sheila Bennett's breakfast table. After a few moments, she decided to break the silence and try and get Stefan's mind off of his girlfriend problems.

"Did you find Damon?" she asked. Scarlett wasn't exactly sure what she wanted Stefan to say – as soon as she thought about Damon, her head started spinning with unfamiliar feelings and thoughts.

"No, but he wants his ring back."

"Are you going to give it to him?" Stefan sighed heavily, and Scarlett grimaced at the exhaustion she heard in that one noise.

"I don't really have a choice. He threatened Elena, and you." A tingle of fear raised goose bumps along Scarlett's arms at the idea of Damon trying to hurt her. He was more than capable of doing it, she knew that, but a tiny part of her mind wondered if he actually would. "I need you to meet me at the Grill in the morning; I said I'd explain everything to Elena, and it might go better if you're there."

"Okay, I'll be there. Good night, Uncle Stefan."

"Good night, Scarlett." Scarlett rose from her seat, her phone clutched in her hand, and tiptoed her way back to Bonnie's room, carefully sliding under the covers in an attempt not to wake her friend. Laying her head on the pillow, she gazed out of the window, contemplating what the next few days would bring as she slowly drifted into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Scarlett left the Bennett's house straight after breakfast. She put the radio on in her car to see if Damon had made the news, but so far there were no more animal attacks or mysterious deaths being reported. Pulling into a parking space across from the Mystic Grill, Scarlett quickly checked herself over. She'd borrowed some of Bonnie's clothes so that she wouldn't have to go back to the Boarding House to change, and the pale lilac sundress she was wearing was a bit short for her tastes, but Scarlett was thankful for it as it was unseasonably warm outside.

Sliding out of her car, the redhead hurried towards Stefan who was sat at a table outside the bar. He rose as she approached and engulfed Scarlett in a tight hug before they both sat down.

"When's Elena getting here?" Scarlett asked immediately. Stefan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his eyes not meeting Scarlett's as he ran a hand agitatedly through his dark hair.

"Soon… Scarlett, I have to tell you something…" His voice trailed off, and Scarlett frowned. It wasn't normal for her godfather to be evasive, at least not with her. She reached across the table to lightly grasp his hand.

"Stefan, what is it?" she asked gently, her dark blue eyes concerned. Stefan closed his eyes tightly, his expression pained, before finally raising his gaze to Scarlett's.

"It's Zach… Damon killed him." Scarlett stared sightlessly at her godfather as her mouth parted in shock. Zach… Dead? But, they were supposed to have a catch-up, spend some quality time together, be a family. Crystalline tears pooled in her liquid blue eyes and Stefan leaned forward, cupping her face in his hands. "Hey, Scarlett, it's gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay, I promise."

Slowly, Scarlett focussed on Stefan's forest green eyes as a single tear trailed down her cheek. He brushed it away with his thumb as he stared into his goddaughter's eyes.

"You won't leave me, will you?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"Never. I am never going to leave you, Scarlett. You're my family," Stefan replied earnestly. Scarlett nodded and pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes, forcing herself not to cry. She would grieve for Zach later, but right now her godfather needed her help. Taking a steadying breath, she lowered her hands to her lap and smiled hesitantly at Stefan.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his green eyes gazing deep into hers.

"I'm fine, Stefan," Scarlett replied as she glanced over his shoulder. "Hi Elena." Stefan turned quickly to see the brunette standing a few feet away, her face void of all emotions. She slowly moved towards them, observing Scarlett's slightly bloodshot eyes and the dampness on her cheeks.

"Is everything alright, Scarlett?" she asked as she sat down opposite Stefan. The redhead smiled, although it wasn't very convincing, and nodded her head.

"Everything's fine, Lena," she assured her friend. Scarlett could feel the tension radiating off of Elena in waves, so she reached across the table to touch her arm, offering her silent support and comfort – she knew it couldn't have been easy for her friend to find out that Stefan was a member of the undead. Elena smiled slightly at Scarlett before turning her attention to Stefan, who had so far remained silent.

"You said you would explain everything, that's why I asked you to meet me here." Stefan inclined his head slightly, his gaze never leaving Elena's. "When you Google 'vampire' you get a world of fiction – what's the reality?"

"I can tell you whatever you want to know," Stefan said obligingly. Elena's eyes flickered to Scarlett before she continued.

"I know you eat garlic," she said, her voice tinged with confusion.

"Yes," Stefan replied simply.

"And somehow sunlight's not an issue?" Stefan hesitated to reply as the waitress brought over their drinks. Scarlett smiled at the girl as Stefan passed over her cup of tea. When the waitress had left, Stefan returned his attention to Elena.

"We have rings that protect us," he said, holding up his hand to reveal the silver and lapis lazuli ring on his right hand.

"Crucifixes?" Elena asked.

"Decorative."

"Holy water?"

"Drinkable."

"Mirrors?"

"Myth," Scarlett interjected, drawing Elena and Stefan's attention to her. "That's how vampires have managed to co-exist with humans for so long without discovery. Most of the myths about vampires were created by vampires." Elena nodded as she processed this information before turning back to Stefan.

"You said you don't kill to survive…"

"Animal blood keeps me alive, but not as strong as Damon. He can be very powerful," Stefan explained.

"And yet you both let him get involved with Caroline?" Elena argued, her dark eyes meeting Scarlett's shocked blue orbs.

"I'm human, what did you expect me to do?" she asked, slightly hurt that Elena would think she hadn't cared that Damon was hurting Caroline. Stefan leant forward, drawing Elena's gaze back to him.

"None of this is Scarlett's fault, Elena. Besides, forcing Damon not to do something is much more dangerous, believe me."

"He was hurting her!" Elena exclaimed.

"He was feeding on her," Stefan insisted quietly. "He was able to take away her memories of being bitten using a form of mind compulsion; she never knew what was happening to her. If he wanted to kill her, he would have."

"Is that supposed to make it okay?" Elena asked incredulously. She couldn't believe that Stefan was trying to justify what his brother had done to her friend. Scarlett sat quietly beside the two of them, her gaze on her tea as she slowly stirred in a spoonful of sugar.

"No, no, none of this is okay, Elena. I know that." Stefan and Elena stared hard at each other for a few moments, before Stefan leant back in his chair, a frown marring his brow.

"What about you?" Elena asked suddenly, jolting Scarlett from her daydream. "How do you fit into this crazy story?" Scarlett glanced at Stefan and saw him nod, letting her know that it was okay for her to tell Elena everything.

"Stefan is my godfather," the redhead said quietly, causing Elena's eyes to widen in surprise.

"Wait, what?" Scarlett took a small sip of her tea before she continued.

"He was a friend of my mums. Do you remember me telling you about how when my grandparents kicked my mum out for getting pregnant, my godfather drove her all the way from Boston to Mystic Falls?" Elena nodded, comprehension dawning on her face. "Well, that was Stefan."

"So you knew what he was?" Elena probed.

"I've always known what he is."

"And you didn't care that he was a…"

"A vampire?" Scarlett asked, her voice slightly harsher than she had intended. She fixed Elena with a hard stare. "No, I didn't. Stefan is my family; that's all I care about." She could feel the warmth of Stefan's gratitude enveloping her mind, and she turned to flash him a quick smile.

"But you can read minds," Elena said firmly, her eyebrows drawn together in a frown.

"No, that's telepathy, and I don't know anyone who can do that," Scarlett said as she folded her hands in her lap.

"But you read my mind, just the other day," Elena insisted. Scarlett breathed deeply through her nose before raising her steady gaze to Elena's. She was more than a little nervous. This would be the first time she told one of her mortal friends exactly what she was.

"I'm an empath, I read emotions," she said calmly. Elena's frown increased.

"What does that mean? Is that another type of vampire?" Stefan and Scarlett both chuckled slightly until they noticed that Elena didn't find the situation at all funny.

"No, I'm very much human. I just have the ability to sense emotions in other people, be they human or vampire. When I came over that time, I didn't tell you what you were thinking; I told you what you were feeling." Elena tilted her head to one side as she considered what Scarlett had said.

"Okay, I think I can just about handle that," she said slowly. Scarlett smiled warmly at her friend and reached out to squeeze her arm.

"Thank you," she murmured. Elena returned Scarlett's smile, albeit hesitantly, before turning back to Stefan.

"Are there any other vampires, aside from you and Damon?" she asked him, her voice softening to a whisper when she said the word 'vampire',

"Not in Mystic Falls, not anymore." Elena's curiosity was piqued.

"Not anymore?"

"There was a time when this town was… very much aware of vampires, and it didn't end well for anybody," Stefan explained. "That's why it's important that you don't tell anyone." Scarlett's eyes narrowed as she felt Elena's hesitation.

"I can't promise that," she said slowly. Stefan leant forward, his eyes full of appeal.

"Elena, give me today. I will answer any questions that you have, and when it's over you can decide for yourself what you wanna do with what you know. It'll be your choice."

"And then we can all get burnt at the stake," Scarlett muttered under her breath so that only Stefan would hear. He shot her a quick glare before returning his gaze to Elena, who was looking down at the table trying to make up her mind. Eventually, she looked up at Scarlett and Stefan and nodded her head in agreement. Scarlett smiled quickly before putting a few dollars on the table.

"Well, you two have fun, but I need to go home and change," she said hurriedly – there was no way she was going to be a third wheel while Stefan explained the ins and outs of being a vampire. However before she could move, Stefan had grabbed her arm in a vice like grip.

"You can't go back to the house – Damon's there," he said, his voice sounding slightly panicked.

"Well I can't wander around town in a borrowed dress that is practically a t-shirt," Scarlett argued as she pulled her hair into a loose ponytail. "Besides, Damon won't hurt me now that he's fed."

"How do you know that?" Elena asked, worry tinging her own voice.

"Because he's had plenty of chances since he got into town, and I'm still here," the redhead replied calmly. "Besides, my powers seem to be developing, and I have a feeling Damon won't want to get on the wrong side of those again." Stefan's brow furrowed in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" Scarlett glanced at Elena, noting the look of utter confusion on her friend's face before replying.

"I'll explain some other time; Elena has more than enough information to deal with without adding my crazy to the mix." The trio stood up and Scarlett hugged both Stefan and Elena before turning to walk to her car.

"Hey, Scarlett!" Stefan's raised voice caused the redhead to glance over her shoulder at her godfather. "Be careful." Scarlett waved at them both before making her way across the road. Once she was in her car, she carefully reconstructed all of the mental barriers that she had let down during the morning's conversation. She would need all of her strength if she was going to face the blue eyed vampire again.

* * *

Damon was growing impatient. It was the middle of the day and he was locked inside the Boarding House with nothing to do. He quickly pulled out his mobile phone and dialled his brother's number, but the call went straight to voicemail.

"Where are you Stefan? I'm trapped at the house and I'm getting really bored and really impatient, and I don't do bored and impatient." He strolled over to the drinks cabinet, avoiding the patches of sunlight like the plague, and poured himself a glass of bourbon. "Bring me my ring!" Ending the call, he swore viciously then glanced over at the sofa where Vicki lay, still unconscious, with blood seeping from the bite wound at her neck. "Oh, don't get blood on the couch," he groaned. "Please?"

Damon sighed as he strode towards her limp form. Perching on the coffee table, Damon tilted his head slightly as he examined her, before pulling away the towel he had put on Vicki's neck to stem the flow of blood. The wound was still oozing, causing Damon to smirk.

"I got you good, didn't I?" he said, more to himself than the unconscious girl on the sofa. He replaced the towel and sat back with a sigh. "Well you're not gonna be any fun today, and I can't find Scarlett until I have my ring…" Damon knocked back the rest of his drink before sighing and moving to stand behind Vicki's head. "I'm so gonna regret this," he muttered, before biting into his wrist and holding it to her mouth, forcing Vicki to drink the thick blood that was flowing out of his vein. At first she resisted, but soon enough she was gulping it down as fast as she could. "Drink up… Don't drip, there you go. Good girl."

Resting his chin on Vicki's head, Damon smirked as he attempted to picture exactly how angry Scarlett would be when she found out what he had done with his day.

* * *

Scarlett hesitated before getting out of her car. The Boarding House looked exactly the same as it had done the day before, but knowing that Zach was never going to be there to welcome her home again, and knowing that his murderer was still inside, made the redhead incredibly uneasy. As she walked up to the front door, she self-consciously pulled the hem of her borrowed dress down, trying to make it cover more of her legs than it currently did. She didn't want Damon to see any more of her body than he had already.

Steeling herself for the inevitable encounter with the dark haired vampire, Scarlett strolled into the house acting far more confident than she felt. She had almost made it to the bottom of the stairs when a pulse of air against her neck announced Damon's presence.

"Couldn't stay away, huh?" Scarlett closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning to confront Damon and his smirking blue gaze.

"Leave me alone, Damon," she said coldly. Damon folded his arms across his chest as he leaned casually against the door frame leading in to the front parlour.

"You keep saying that, and yet you keep coming back for more," he retorted, his eyes skimming heatedly over her bare legs.

"I live here, asshole." Damon tsked quietly as he pushed away from the door frame.

"Honestly Scar, didn't Zach teach you any manners?" Scarlett's eyes blazed furiously as he moved slowly towards her.

"Last time I checked, murdering someone was pretty high on the bad manners scale," she hissed, before turning and stalking towards the staircase. She made it five paces before Damon appeared in front of her, his chest brushing her own as she collided with him.

"I'm a vampire, it's what I do," Damon with a shrug. Scarlett's eyes narrowed further as she sidestepped to get past him, but Damon blocked her effortlessly.

"Get out of my way," she said quietly as she tried once again to get past him only for him to get in the way at the last second.

"I'm getting a serious case of déjà vu right now," he said as he took a small step towards Scarlett in an attempt to move her back against the wall. Instead of backing down, the redhead focused her gaze on him, her sapphire eyes flashing dangerously.

"I seem to remember you screaming in pain the last time you were this close to me," she ground out, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. Damon leant forward so that his lips were almost brushing the shell of her ear

"Some people like a bit of pain," he murmured huskily. He watched carefully as Scarlett's cheeks tinged a faint shade of pink, and breathed deeply as the enticing scent of her blood mixed with her perfume floated towards him. God, she smelt delicious. The sound of footsteps hurrying down the stairs drew Scarlett's attention away from the man in front of her, and her jaw dropped as she saw Vicki Donovan skipping towards them wearing nothing but a vest top and her underwear.

"Oh man, that shower was so great," she said as she stopped in front of a mirror to examine her neck. Scarlett's eyes flew to Damon who was smirking down at her.

"Please tell me I'm dreaming," she whispered as she stared up at him, her eyes wide in horror. Damon grinned at the redhead in front of him as he brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"If this were a dream, we'd be having way more fun," he drawled. Scarlett's cheeks turned an even darker shade of pink and she looked away from him, her eyes focusing instead on Vicki.

"What did you give me?" Vicki asked as she turned away from the mirror, her glance moving swiftly between Scarlett and Damon. Damon quickly inhaled Scarlett's scent before wandering towards Vicki.

"Some blood – you loved it," he drawled. He heard Scarlett gasp softly behind him and resisted the urge to laugh at her reaction; she was far too easy to wind up. Vicki looked confused by his answer.

"I did?" she asked carefully.

"No, you really didn't," Scarlett said quickly as she took a few steps towards her friend, but Damon's hand flashed out to grab her arm, holding her back as he nodded at Vicki, keeping the girl's attention on him.

"Wait, I'm confused… How did I get here?" Vicki queried as she came to a halt in front of Damon and Scarlett. Scarlett was about to reply when Damon placed a hand firmly over her mouth, effectively cutting off all speech. Focusing his pale gaze on Vicki he began to compel her.

"We met in the woods. You were drunk, I attacked you, then I killed all of your friends, brought you here, gave you some blood, you loved it and now we're gonna party 'til the sun goes down." Scarlett tried to struggle, but Damon's grip on her tightened until it was almost bruising. Vicki didn't even notice the redhead's dilemma, so focused was she on Damon's voice.

"Okay," she agreed with a smile. "But first can I have another hit? That blood was so good…" Damon smirked as he glanced down at Scarlett, whose eyes had widened in dismay.

"Only if I can," he told Vicki, though his eyes never left Scarlett's sapphire orbs. Vicki obligingly held out her wrist. How Damon wished feeding from Scarlett could be that easy. Damon pulled Scarlett closer, his lips against her temple as he once again inhaled her spicy aroma. "Sorry, Scar," he murmured, before thrusting her away from him, causing her to crash to the floor, hitting her head against the floorboards. Biting down on his own wrist, he offered it to Vicki before driving his fangs into hers.

Dazed, Scarlett could do little more than watch as Damon and Vicki exchanged blood. Her head was throbbing from where it had impacted with the floor, but instead of feeling pain, all Scarlett could feel was an insane surge of jealously. A part of her thought it should be her blood, not Vicki's, that Damon was drinking with such enthusiasm. Scarlett mentally shook herself – perhaps she'd hit her head harder than she had first thought.

Stumbling to her feet, Scarlett leant against the wall for support and raised a hand to her forehead. She could feel a lump forming already and wondered vaguely how she was going to explain it to Stefan.

"You should put some ice on that." Scarlett jumped at the sound of Damon's voice next to her ear and spun quickly to face him. The quick motion mixed with her head wound caused Scarlett's world to tilt precariously, and she stumbled forward into Damon's arms. "Easy, Scar," he murmured as he caught her against his chest. He gazed into her unfocused blue eyes just as they rolled back into her head and she fainted.

Damon scooped the redhead into his arms and, using his vampire speed, carried her up to her bedroom. He placed Scarlett's slender body on the bed, and gently brushed his knuckles along her cheek. Without really thinking, Damon bit into his already healed wrist and placed it against Scarlett's slightly parted lips, allowing a few drops of blood to trickle down her throat. The last thing he needed was for her got get a concussion. He watched carefully as she swallowed, then turned and walked quietly from the room. He had a party to get to.

* * *

The bed was jumping – actually, physically jumping. Scarlett blinked open her eyes to glance at the alarm clock on the night stand, then shot out of bed. Three in the afternoon? What was she doing in bed at that time? Glancing down, Scarlett noticed the lilac sundress she was wearing. Slowly, her memories started to come back; borrowing Bonnie's dress so that she could meet Stefan and Elena, driving back to the Boarding House to change, Damon feeding on Vicki, hitting her head…

Scarlett reached up a hand to touch her forehead and found it smooth. There was no lump to prove that she had fallen and injured herself. Walking to her dressing table, she leant over to examine her face more carefully. No bruise. In fact, she felt fine. Better than fine, she felt… wonderful. There was a shriek of laughter from somewhere downstairs, and Scarlett glared towards her bedroom door as she finally took notice of the appallingly loud music thumping through the house.

The laughter obviously belonged to Vicki – Damon hadn't killed her yet. Scarlett swiftly changed in to a pair of light grey jeans, black ballerina flats and a navy blue vest top before pulling her hair into a messy bun at the nape of her neck and wandering out of her room. The music seemed to be coming from the parlour, but the laughter was much closer. Scarlett listened carefully, then groaned when she realised where Damon and Vicki were. She climbed the stairs to Stefan's bedroom, her feet dragging; she was really not looking forward to seeing what they were doing in her godfather's room.

Books were scattered carelessly on the floor, feathers strewn across the bed. Chairs and tables had been shoved unceremoniously aside, and in the middle of this mess was Vicki, jumping on the bed and throwing what was left of the pillows across the room. The sound of shattering glass drew Scarlett's attention to the desk where Damon had just smashed a candle holder. He picked something up off the desk, looking at it sombrely before turning to Scarlett with his trademark smirk.

"Well, look who decided to join the party," he said sarcastically. Scarlett took a cautious step into the room as Vicki jumped off the bed and bounded over to her, pulling her in for a tight hug. The redhead nearly chocked, Vicki's grasp was so tight.

"This is your idea of a party?" Scarlett asked sceptically as she gently untangled herself from Vicki's arms. Damon sauntered towards her, a bottle of bourbon in hand, his shirt hanging open to reveal the pale muscles of his chest. Scarlett forced herself to remain focused on his taunting blue eyes as he came to a halt an inch or so away from her.

"I don't think you'd approve of my other ideas…" he whispered suggestively. His eyes casually roamed over her body, and he pouted slightly in disappointment. "I wish you hadn't changed." Scarlett folded her arms across her chest, forming a physical barrier between herself and the dark haired vampire standing before her.

"Stop it, Damon," she said firmly, her eyebrows drawn together in a frown.

"Stop what?" Damon asked innocently.

"Flirting." Damon let out a quiet chuckle as he reached forward to tuck a stray lock of hair behind Scarlett's ear – it was becoming a habit.

"This isn't flirting, Scar. Believe me, when I start flirting with you, you'll find me much harder to resist." Scarlett scowled up at him, but Damon just smirked in response before moving away from the redhead and pulling Vicki into his arms, revolving slowly on the spot as they danced. "I don't suppose you know where my ring is?" he asked Scarlett as Vicki wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Stefan didn't tell me," Scarlett said shortly, an odd surge of jealously simmering in her stomach.

"Well then, could you go and find out what's taking him so long? I'm getting impatient." Scarlett's dark blue eyes travelled to Vicki and she raised one eyebrow in a silent question. "Don't worry Scar, I promise she'll still be here when you get back." Scarlett stared hard at Damon for a few moments, before nodding tersely and walking out of the room. At the bottom of the stairs she pulled out her phone and dialled her godfather's number. He picked up almost instantly.

"Are you okay?" Scarlett paced nervously along the corridor, her fingers twisting in the material of her t-shirt as she talked to her godfather.

"I'm fine, but Damon's getting impatient," she replied tensely.

"He hasn't hurt you?" Scarlett could hear the worry in Stefan's voice, and it intensified her own nerves.

"No, he hasn't. But he's got Vicki here…"

"What?" Stefan's voice had raised just enough to make Scarlett wince away from her phone.

"You heard me. He's been feeding on her, and he's given her his blood as well…" Scarlett trailed off as she heard a distant thump – what was Damon up to now?

"You've got to get her out of there, Scarlett," her godfather instructed. He sounded edgy, and Scarlett could tell he was raking his hand through his hair nervously.

"I know that, Uncle Stefan, but how am I supposed to do it? Damon's not exactly going to let us both waltz out of here." There was a pause, and Scarlett thought she heard her godfather talking to someone on the other end of the phone.

"I'll be there as soon as I can," Stefan said quickly. Scarlett nodded, even though she knew he wouldn't see, then hung up the phone and put it back in her pocket. She had to get Vicki away from Damon. Plans started formulating in her mind, but she scrapped each and every one – it wasn't that easy to fool a vampire. Scarlett huffed in frustration before hurrying back to Stefan's room. She walked through the door and immediately stopped in her tracks.

"Oh my God…" she breathed, her words barely a whisper. There, in the middle of the floor, lay Vicki, her neck twisted at an impossible angle. Damon was sat at the desk, his feet on the surface as he nursed a glass of bourbon.

"Told you she'd still be here when you got back," he said brightly as Scarlett crept further into the room and knelt by Vicki's side. Scarlett's sapphire eyes rose to meet Damon's, and he had to hold back a gasp at the pain and anger he saw there.

"What have you done?" Scarlett asked quietly, her voice shaking with rage. Tentatively, she reached out to check Vicki's pulse, even though she knew that all she would feel was cold, dead skin.

"She wanted this," Damon said as he stood and strolled towards the window, determined to not be affected by the redhead's emotions; Damon didn't do other people's emotions. Carefully, he held his hand out in front of the window and watched as the sun's rays burnt his skin, turning it an angry red, before quickly drawing his hand back in pain.

"Who would want this, Damon?" Scarlett hissed, her eyes blazing. "Given a choice, who would ever want this?" Damon was about to reply when Vicki coughed, rolling on to her back as she began to stir. Her eyes fluttered slightly as she focused on Scarlett who gave her a small, sad smile.

"Scarlett? What happened?" she groaned, reaching up to clutch her head. "Damon… We were dancing and then –"

"And then I killed you," Damon said calmly, his signature smirk firmly in place as Scarlett sent a glare his way. Turning back to the newly turned vampire, Scarlett reached forward to help her sit up.

"What? Scarlett, what's he talking about?" Scarlett opened her mouth to reply, but hesitated. How could she tell Vicki, a girl she'd known all her life, that that life had suddenly changed completely?

"You're dead," came Damon's voice, filling the silence that Scarlett's uncertainty had caused. He slowly began to walk towards the two girls, his footsteps echoing in the quiet room.

"I'm dead?" Vicki asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. Damon shrugged as if that didn't matter.

"Yeah, well let's not make a big deal out of it." He leaned back against Stefan's desk, crossing his ankles casually, but really he was on edge. There was a newly turned vampire in the room, and he didn't want her taking a bite out of Scarlett; he wanted to bite her first. "You drank my blood, I killed you and now you have to feed in order to complete the process."

"Damon, you're not helping," Scarlett growled as she helped Vicki stand up. The girl was shaky, her legs barely supporting her own weight, but Scarlett kept a firm grip on Vicki's arm to make sure she didn't fall.

"Eurgh, your friend's wasted, Scarlett," Vicki grumbled, before shrugging the redhead off and grabbing her jeans.

"Vicki, I think you should listen to him," Scarlett said quietly, her gaze sympathetic as she met her friend's sceptical eyes.

"You really should – you don't wanna be out there all alone." Vicki ignored them both as she stumbled towards the door, but she'd only made it a few yards before Damon appeared in front of her, seemingly out of nowhere. She gasped slightly, taking a step back as the dark haired vampire stared down at her. "You're about to get really freaky." Scarlett stepped forward to comfort Vicki, but again the girl shrugged her off.

"Look, I had a really good time, but I just wanna go home."

"Vicki… You can't go home," Scarlett said, her voice gentle as she tried to keep the situation from boiling over. She glared at Damon again, but he simply smirked at her before returning his gaze to Vicki.

"You're gonna start craving blood, and until you get it you're gonna feel very out of it. You're gonna have to be careful." Finally getting fed up, Vicki shoved Damon in the chest, pushing her way past him.

"Come on, move," she groaned as she staggered away from him and out of the room. Scarlett hurried towards her, but was stopped by Damon, who gripped her arm tightly.

"See, you're already starting to fall apart," Damon told Vicki condescendingly. Scarlett tried to jerk her arm out of his grasp, but all he did was pull her close and snake his arm around her waist, completely entrapping her.

"I'm going home now," Vicki said over her shoulder as she waltzed out of the bedroom door. Scarlett turned wide, frightened eyes to Damon.

"You can't let her leave Damon!" she exclaimed as she struggled against him. Damon ignored her struggles and smiled at Vicki's retreating figure.

"Okay, fine. I'm just warning you," he said nonchalantly. Scarlett huffed in frustration; her body was tiring quickly due to her struggles, but she had to stop Vicki from leaving.

"Vicki, please listen to me. You can't leave; it's not safe for you out there," Scarlett said urgently. Vicki turned at the door, her eyes meeting Scarlett's, and for a split second, Scarlett knew she had gotten through to her friend.

"You know what, you should go," Damon said, his voice drawing Vicki's attention away from Scarlett. "In fact, if I were you, I'd stop by your boyfriend Jeremy's house." Vicki rolled her eyes and turned back to the door.

"Yeah, whatever. Bye." Scarlett watched in dread as the newly turned vampire walked out of the room.

"Tell Elena I said hi. Oh, and if you see Stefan tell him to call me," Damon called after her. Only when he heard the front door close did he let go of Scarlett. The redhead immediately ran for the door, only to be blocked by Damon. "Ah ah ah, you're not going anywhere," he said tauntingly, wagging a finger in her face.

Scarlett tried to step around him but Damon grabbed both of her arms and pulled the petite teen flush against his body. His pale eyes roamed over her face, taking in the angry flush and the dishevelled hair. Scarlett was breathing hard, causing her breasts to push against his chest, and Damon groaned internally at how good it felt. It had been way too long since he'd had a woman this attractive so close to him.

"Let me go Damon, I have to help her," Scarlett said, her voice insistent as she continued to struggle against him, causing her hair to fall from its loose bun and cascade down her back. Damon wanted nothing more than to run his fingers through the thick, silky locks, but now wasn't the time. Holding her firmly, he leaned forward until his nose was brushing her temple.

"Someone has to keep me amused," he whispered in her ear, his lips inches from the fragile skin of her neck.

"Are you gonna turn me next?" Scarlett asked scathingly, her eyes glinting with rage. Damon leant back and smiled charmingly at her, one corner of his mouth tilting up slightly as he released one arm and trailed his fingers across her cheek.

"No, I have far more interesting plans for you, my Scarlett." At those words, Scarlett finally snapped. Not only had Damon turned one of her friend's into a bloodthirsty vampire, but he had the nerve to call her 'his Scarlett'?

The anger that had been simmering under her skin boiled over, and Scarlett felt a rush of energy pooling just under the surface. Her gaze narrowed on Damon as the energy in her body pulsed outward, throwing the dark haired vampire clear across the room. There was a loud crack as he hit a wall of bookcases, and books tumbled from the shelves to land on Damon's prone body.

Shocked, scared and still angry, Scarlett flew out of Stefan's bedroom, her feet pounding along the wooden floors as she ran for the front door. Something told her that Damon wouldn't be too happy if he caught up with her. She stumbled down the stairs, nearly losing her balance, then slid on the rug in the hallway. There was a rush of air behind her and Scarlett was thrown face first onto the floor.

She could feel Damon's hands on her legs, pulling her towards him with a bruising strength. Scarlett lashed out, her arms scrabbling for purchase on the polished wooden floorboards, but finding none. Damon easily flipped the redhead over, straddling her waist and pinning her punching arms to the sides. Scarlett gasped as she saw his eyes, red with bloodlust, the dark veins standing out starkly against his pale skin.

"You wanna tell me about those freaky powers of yours, Scar?" he growled, his elongated canines gleaming in the soft light. Scarlett shook her head and tried to buck him off, but he was holding her too tightly. Damon smirked, and his eyes flashed down to her throat where her pulse was beating madly. "Well, well, Scarlett. How are you gonna get out of this little predicament?" he asked softly. Scarlett wasn't distracted this time, and she didn't hesitate as she jerked her knee up, kicking Damon squarely between the legs. The vampire growled in pain, rolling off of Scarlett and curling in on himself.

"You may be a vampire, Damon, but you're still a guy," Scarlett said shakily as she scrambled to her feet and ran out of the house. She reached into her pocket for her keys, before remembering that they were still inside, and there was no way she was going back in there. Scarlett ran both her hands through her hair, tugging slightly in frustration. Her eyes scanned the driveway for a solution, landing on Damon's classic sports car.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," she murmured to herself as she ran to the car and clambered inside. She could hear Damon yelling at her from the house, but was unable to make out what he was saying which was probably a good thing. She pulled down the sun visor and grinned as a key fell into her lap. Slamming the car into gear, Scarlett sped away from the Boarding House. She had to find Vicki before she completed the transition, and she only had one clue. Elena's house.

* * *

The sun was finally beginning to set when Scarlett pulled up outside of the Gilbert's house. Parking Damon's car behind Matt's truck, she hopped out and jogged up the path to the porch. She had just raised her hand to knock when the front door burst open and Vicki ran straight into her, sending Scarlett tumbling down the porch stairs in her haste.

"Vicki, stop!" she yelled, but by the time Scarlett had regained her footing, Vicki was gone.

"Where'd she go?" Scarlett turned to see Matt beside her, his face tight with confusion. She shook her head, completely stuck for an explanation. Stefan and Elena ran out of the house, closely followed by Jeremy as they all looked around for Vicki. Scarlett's eyes met Stefan's and he nodded once – he knew.

"She was fine and then she just… she just freaked out," Jeremy said from the porch.

"I'm gonna go look for her, call me if you hear anything," Matt said as he ran for his truck. Scarlett walked quickly to Stefan's side. Her head was throbbing from the emotions swirling around her, but she thrust them aside; she had more important things to deal with.

"I can track her," Stefan said quietly, his eyes scanning the area. Elena nodded absently.

"Go," she said, her dark eyes meeting Scarlett's worried gaze. Stefan started to walk away but Scarlett grabbed hold of his arm.

"Wait, Stefan, I can help you," she said hurriedly. Stefan shook his head slightly and gazed down at her, his eyes boring into her own.

"I need you to stay here in case Vicki comes back. You're the only one who could handle her." Scarlett lowered her gaze and sighed, tears welling in her sapphire eyes.

"I'm so sorry…" she whispered.

"It's not your fault," Stefan replied. He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead, then jogged away to track Vicki. Scarlett felt a warm hand grip her own and turned to find Elena gazing silently at her.

"Help me clean up?" the brunette asked softly. Scarlett nodded, brushing away her tears with the back of her hand as she let Elena lead her into the house. The kitchen was a wreck; food containers were scattered on the counters, and there were crumbs all over the floor. The girls immediately got to work, neither one saying a word, too caught up in their own thoughts to bother making conversation.

It took Scarlett and Elena the rest of the evening to tidy up Vicki's mess, and by the time night had fallen, they were still working. Jeremy was stood by the sink watching them, occasionally lending a hand, but Scarlett could feel how anxious he was. His worry for Vicki was dominating every other emotion he had.

"Maybe we should check in with Matt," he said finally, breaking the silence that had engulfed the room. Elena glanced at Scarlett with wide eyes, but the redhead only shrugged in response – she didn't know what to tell Jeremy either.

"He'll call when he finds her," Elena said quickly, passing her brother more plates to put in the sink. Scarlett leant on the broom she was using to sweep the floor, her gaze fixed on the window. Damon would have left the Boarding House by now. A chill went down her spine at the thought of what he might do to her if he found her.

"Well what are we supposed to do?" Jeremy asked, breaking Scarlett out of her thoughts.

"We wait. We're supposed to wait," she said, her voice far calmer than she actually felt. Jeremy rolled his eyes in frustration as he looked between Scarlett and his sister.

"I don't know what's wrong with her." Elena again looked to Scarlett, and this time the redhead gave Jeremy a small, encouraging smile.

"She'll be fine," she told him, her eyes staring straight into his. "We'll all be fine." It was obvious that Jeremy didn't believe her, however, as he shook his head in disbelief. Before he could say anything else, the doorbell rang. Scarlett and Elena exchanged worried glances before the brunette walked to the front door, Jeremy hot on her heels. Scarlett paused in the kitchen as a wave of anger washed through her. Her blue eyes widened in realisation as Elena's hand grasped the door handle.

"Elena, no!" It was too late – the brunette pulled open the door to reveal Damon, his face unreadable. Elena tried to push the door shut, but she was no match for his strength and he easily forced it back open.

"Jeremy, go upstairs," Elena said, her breathing harsh. Scarlett could feel the fear pouring off of her friend, and grasped a countertop to stop herself from falling as she clamped down on the tide of emotions running amok in her head. Jeremy didn't question his sister as he jogged up the stairs and went to his room, closing the door behind him. Damon watched Elena carefully, noting her dilated pupils and rapid heartbeat.

"You're afraid of me… I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess. Stefan finally fessed up." His tone was taunting, and he wore a smirk to match it.

"Stay away from me," Elena ground out.

"I seem to hear that a lot these days," Damon mused, before flashing a sickeningly polite smile at Elena. "There's no need to be rude, I'm just looking for Scarlett and Stefan… Speaking of, I know you're here Scar." Damon raised his voice slightly to be sure that Scarlett heard him. In the kitchen, the redhead gripped the counter tighter as her blood pounded in her ears – she had never been so scared in her life.

"You can't see her," Elena said, her voice shaking slightly as Damon's eyes hardened to chips of ice.

"Oh, is that so?" he asked, his voice silky as he took a step forward. "Can I come in? Of course I can, I've been invited." He placed one foot over the threshold, forcing Elena back into the hall. "Now then, either Scarlett can come out here and talk to me herself, or I can rip everyone in this house into little pieces. I'm bored, and hungry. Not a good mix." Scarlett knew he wasn't joking. Steeling herself, she took a deep, steadying breath and walked into the hallway, her gaze immediately finding Damon's.

"It's alright, Elena," she said calmly in an attempt to reassure her friend. Damon smirked when he saw her and shut the front door behind him, ignoring Elena as he stalked towards Scarlett.

"You really hurt me today, Scar," he said quietly, his pale eyes intense as he focused on the redhead before him.

"You deserved it," she murmured in return. A nerve twitched in Damon's jaw and he tilted his head to one side.

"It was a neat trick, but I have to ask… How did someone like you manage to throw someone like me across a room?" he asked curiously. Scarlett's eyes dropped to the floor and she felt a rush of fear – her own this time.

"I don't know," she replied, her voice barely more than a whisper. Damon observed her silently for a few moments. He couldn't tell what she was more afraid of at that moment; him or herself. He reached forward to brush her long hair behind her shoulder and felt her shiver at his touch.

"Well, I imagine we'll find out eventually. All things come to those that wait." Scarlett's hands balled into fists at her sides as she raised her eyes to Damon's.

"Why are you here, Damon?" she asked, her voice much steadier than she felt. His proximity was… unnerving. Damon's entire demeanour darkened as he glared down at Scarlett.

"That's easy. Where's Stefan?" Scarlett felt anger swirl in the pit of her stomach at his question, and raised her chin challengingly.

"He's out looking for Vicki," she said, her voice sharp with irritation. Damon blinked rapidly before rolling his ice blue orbs.

"Don't look at me with those judgy little eyes – they don't suit you," he said as he advanced on her, forcing Scarlett to back into a table. "That girl's gonna thank me for what I did to her." Scarlett glowered up at Damon.

"Did you thank Katherine?" she asked scathingly, her full lips twisting into a smirk of her own. Damon didn't answer; instead he let his eyes wander freely over Scarlett's body before stopping at her throat, where her pulse throbbed just under the skin. He took a deep breath, inhaling the smell of jasmine and spice before making a small sound of approval and turning towards the door. He finally caught sight of Elena, who was watching Scarlett and him with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

"You really think you know the whole story?" he asked Scarlett as he looked around Elena's living room.

"I know enough," she replied, causing Damon to turn quickly on his heel and fix her with a challenging stare.

"Oh, I doubt that," he snapped. Scarlett's eyes searched his, for what he wasn't sure, and he quickly looked away from her and walked towards the front door. He stopped at the door and turned on his heel, snapping his fingers as though he'd just remembered something. "I almost forgot – my car." He held out a hand towards Scarlett, and she quickly reached into her pocket and pulled out Damon's car keys, tossing them across the hall. He caught them easily and touched his fingers to his forehead in a sarcastic salute.

"Will one of you ladies tell my brother I'm looking for him?" he said absently as he opened the door and stepped outside. The door was about to close when Damon suddenly opened it again and leaned inside, a small smirk twisting his lips.

"Oh, and Elena… Tip for later; be careful who you invite in the house." With one last glance at Scarlett, Damon pulled the door closed with a snap. Scarlett and Elena both stared at the door, half afraid that it was going to open again, neither saying a word. After what seemed like forever, the brunette finally turned to her friend, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What was that?" she asked shakily. Scarlett turned her wide eyes gaze to Elena and smiled nervously.

"I have no idea…" she replied as she tried to calm her erratic heartbeat. The girls were silent for a while, both processing the evening's events. Eventually Scarlett turned to Elena with a small smile. "I'm gonna text Stefan," she said quietly, pulling her phone from the back pocket of her jeans. Elena nodded and walked into the living room, sitting on the windowsill, her eyes searching the night for any sign of Stefan.

_Scarlett:- Damon's looking for you. Be careful xo. _Scarlett waited for a reply, but when her phone remained blank, she followed Elena into the living room, sitting on the sofa and curling her legs underneath herself. She studied her friend carefully. It was clear that Elena was finding Stefan's revelations a bit hard to handle, but Scarlett knew that if anyone could deal with the supernatural world that surrounded Mystic Falls, it was Elena Gilbert.

"You okay, Lena?" the redhead asked quietly. Elena turned to her friend, her eyes full of doubt.

"I don't know if I can do this…"she whispered as she folded her arms across her chest. Scarlett smiled sympathetically and looked down at her lap, where her long, thin fingers were twisting nervously.

"I know it's hard to take in at first, but it gets easier," she said assuredly. Elena nodded slightly before turning back to the window, pulling her legs up to her chest and leaning her elbows on her knees.

"You've known about this your whole life… Kept it secret for years… And you have these powers that I don't understand –"

"I don't understand them either," Scarlett said quickly. Elena glanced at her friend, her eyebrows raised in question. "I mean, I thought I did, but ever since Stefan and Damon came to town, they've been… changing. Developing, I guess."

"What do you mean?" Elena asked. Scarlett's hands stilled in her lap, and she turned her blue eyed gaze to her friend.

"At first it was just sense… Like I knew exactly what people were feeling, I could feel their emotions inside of me, but now… Now I'm doing all these things I can't explain, things my mum never told me about…" Scarlett trailed off, her voice quavering slightly. She had no idea what was happening to her, and it terrified her. More than ever, she wanted her mum back.

Seeing her friend's eyes glimmer with tears, Elena uncurled herself from the window seat and moved to sit next to Scarlett. She took the redhead's pale hands into her own and squeezed them gently, offering her support.

"I can't say I understand what you're going through, Scarlett, but I'm here for you. I promise." Scarlett smiled sadly at Elena.

"Even though I'm a freak?" she asked in a half-hearted attempt at a joke. Elena shook her head firmly.

"You're not a freak, you're one of my best friends, and we're gonna get through this… Whatever 'this' is." Scarlett took a shuddering breath and nodded slightly, then smiled as Elena wrapped her arms around her. Pulling back, Elena gave Scarlett a supportive smile. "It's really stuffy in here – let's wait outside." The two girls stood up and moved quietly to the front porch, seating themselves on the bench. Scarlett unfolded a blanket and draped it across both their knees as the pair silently watched the night sky.

"So, what's going on with you and Damon?" Elena asked hesitantly, her voice low so that any passers-by wouldn't hear. Scarlett kept her gaze on the inky black sky, knowing that if she turned to her friend, Elena would be able to read in her eyes what Scarlett didn't want to admit to herself.

"Nothing," she said shortly. Elena snorted in disbelief.

"That's not what it looked like," she insisted. Scarlett tilted her head to one side and sighed in exasperation.

"Damon enjoys tormenting me," she said, hoping that that would put off any further questions. Elena inclined her head as she considered Scarlett's answer.

"Stefan says he's dangerous…" she said finally. Scarlett turned to Elena, her blue eyes even darker in the dim light.

"All vampires are dangerous. Some are just worse than others."

"But you live with them?" Scarlett smirked slightly before replying.

"Zach made sure I wasn't defenceless." Elena's eyes widened at that, but before she could reply, Scarlett held up a hand to silence her, turning her head towards the road. "Stefan's here," she whispered. At that moment, her godfather walked slowly up the steps to the porch. Scarlett and Elena immediately stood up, and the redhead's eyes zeroed in on the red stains on her godfather's shirt.

"You're bleeding," Elena exclaimed, her voice tinged with worry. She reached out a hand to examine the wound, but Stefan caught her wrist and smiled reassuringly at her.

"It's okay, I'm okay," he said gently, his eyes flying to Scarlett's quickly. She gave him a small smile to let him know that she was okay, and he returned his attention to Elena. Scarlett stood to one side, her arms folded across her chest as she listened to their conversation.

"I couldn't stop her," Stefan said quietly, his green eyes full of sadness. "I tried." Scarlett's eyes fell to the floor; this was all her fault. She should never have left Vicki alone with Damon, if she'd stayed with her, none of this would have happened.

"What does that mean?" Elena asked nervously, her eyes darting quickly to Scarlett before returning to Stefan.

"It means she fed…" Scarlett whispered without raising her eyes. She could feel Stefan and Elena watching her silently for a few moments.

"And then I lost her…" Stefan explained.

"Oh my God." Elena's voice was barely more than a whisper. Scarlett flinched as the brunette's emotions invaded her mind. The day had been too stressful for her to even contemplate trying to block them, so instead she let Elena's shock, fear and worry wash through her.

"I'll take care of it," Stefan hurried to explain. "I'll find her and I will show her that she can live like I do, I will make sure that she does not hurt anybody, Elena, I promise you."

"What do I tell my brother, and Matt?" Elena asked as her tears started to trail down her cheeks.

"We'll come up with a story," Stefan said quickly.

"You mean we'll come up with a lie." Scarlett wished she could do something, help Elena accept this somehow, but she knew that the only way Elena was going to be able to cope was if she figured out how to do it by herself. Stefan had no response to Elena's statement – all he could do was stare at her.

"I'm so sorry," he said finally, his voice ringing with sincerity and yet somehow sounding hollow to Scarlett's ears. He wasn't the one who should be sorry, she was.

"I gave you today, just like you asked," Elena began slowly. "And I understand that you would never do anything to hurt me, and I promise I will keep your secret, yours and Scarlett's," she continued, glancing quickly at the redhead who refused to meet her gaze. "But… I can't be with you Stefan. I'm sorry, I… I just can't." Stefan didn't say a word, he couldn't. All he could do was look into Elena's eyes, wishing that things could be different.

Elena stepped away from him and hurried into the house, shutting the door behind her. Scarlett finally raised her dark blue eyes to Stefan's, and she felt a stab of pain in her stomach at the emptiness she saw in his gaze. She slowly moved towards him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his chest.

"Can you take me home?" she asked softly. Stefan slowly placed his arms around Scarlett's shoulders, holding her close.

"Of course… Close your eyes." Scarlett complied, shutting her eyes tightly and tightening her grip on her godfather. Her feet left the ground and wind whipped through her hair, faster than she could possibly imagine. When she finally opened her eyes, Scarlett was standing in her bedroom. Alone.

Emotionally and physically drained, Scarlett quickly stripped out of her clothes and climbed into bed, cocooning herself in her duvet. She closed her eyes and let sleep take her, never noticing the single pink peony lying innocently on her desk.

* * *

**So, that was another long one... I hope you didn't mind. Thoughts? Opinions? Ideas? Review and let me know. I won't be updating for a while, as I'm taking part in NaNoWriMo, which for those of you who don't know is National Novel Writing Month. Basically, I'll be attempting to write a novel in one month... Not the easiest thing in the world, so bare with me. I'll try and update ASAP, but don't worry if I disappear for a month... I'll be back.**

**Much love xx**


	7. Haunted

**Surprise Update! Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me except the lovely Scarlett. Enjoy...**

* * *

Scarlett groaned as she started to wake up, her dream fading to a haze as the early morning sunlight filtered through her closed eyelids. She rolled away from the light and found herself resting against something warm and solid. Smiling slightly she snuggled into it, wondering if maybe she'd be able to sneak another ten minutes sleep before someone came to find her.

"Wakey, wakey, sleeping beauty." Scarlett's forehead creased in frustration as she burrowed herself closer to her new pillow, trying to escape the voice that was trying to drag her into consciousness. "As much as I'd love to spend the day in bed with you, I think my brother might have a problem with it." That voice… Scarlett recognised it. Slowly, she cracked open her eyes, searching for the owner of the voice, and found herself face to face with none other than the eldest Salvatore brother.

The redhead let out a shriek and pushed herself away from him, but she was much closer to the edge of the bed than she had realised, and tumbled to the floor in a tangle of bedding. Damon chuckled at the sight of Scarlett trying to extricate herself from her duvet, and crossed his arms behind his head as he leant against the headboard to watch the show. After a brief struggle, her pale face emerged from hiding and she fixed him with an angry glare.

"What the hell are you doing in my room?" she asked, her voice still cracked from sleep. One corner of Damon's mouth quirked up in a half-smile as he glanced around her room, taking in the photos on the walls and the fairy lights wrapped around the roof beams –just like he remembered.

"I thought you might like a wake up call… Plus, it's Halloween, and I'm sure you need to figure out a sexy costume for the party." Scarlett huffed as she stood up, and Damon noticed she was still wearing her clothes from the day before. "Rough night?" he asked sarcastically as his eyes strayed to her stomach where the t-shirt had ridden up. Scarlett leant forward and grabbed a pillow, before hitting him in the face with it.

"Get out of here, Damon!" she yelled as she hit him again. Damon quickly stood, his hands held up in surrender as he continued to smirk at her, his pale blue eyes twinkling mischievously.

"All right, all right, I'm going." He reached the door and turned on his heel to grin lustfully at Scarlett. "I have to say, I prefer your cute little pj's to jeans," he said teasingly. Scarlett's cheeks flamed red with a blush, and she hurled her pillow at him. Damon caught it easily and raised it to his nose, inhaling her spicy fragrance, before tossing it lightly onto the bed. "Delectable," he murmured, before walking out of the room and closing the door behind him.

Scarlett growled in frustration as she ran her hands through her tumbled waves. How did he do it? Damon always managed to get a reaction out of her, with just a few words or an action. What made it worse was that she liked it. She enjoyed his teasing, and the banter that went back and forth between them. She didn't know if it meant anything, but it didn't seem to matter. There was something about Damon that drew her in, like a moth to a flame. He was right. Scarlett may tell him to stay away from her, but she always went back for more.

Shaking her head vigorously, Scarlett thrust all thoughts of the dark haired, blue eyed vampire out of her head and stalked to her bathroom for a relaxing shower. She let the hot water wash away her troubles, and when she emerged twenty minutes later, she felt invigorated. Scarlett dried her hair so that it fell in loose waves down her back, then dressed in thick black tights and a long sleeved burgundy dress that reached just above her knees. Black ankle boots completed the look, and with a quick glance in the mirror, she grabbed her school bag and headed out of her room to locate Stefan and their new house guest.

Thinking the best place to find the two vampires would probably be Stefan's bedroom; she jogged up the stairs and waltzed through the door, a smile gracing her full lips.

"Here's sleeping beauty." Scarlett turned towards the desk to find Damon smirking at her over the top of the newspaper. She completely ignored him as she turned to her godfather and Vicki. The newly turned vampire was curled up in a chair and looked less than happy to be stuck inside.

"Hey Vicki," Scarlett said quietly, offering her friend a small smile. Vicki smiled in return before facing Stefan.

"I don't understand why I have to stay cooped up here, why can't I just go home?" she asked, obviously frustrated with the situation. Stefan glanced at Scarlett as she perched on a chair next to him before returning his gaze to Vicki.

"Because you're changing, Vicki, and it's not something you wanna do alone," he said. Scarlett could tell that her godfather was stressed; evidently Vicki wasn't taking to the transition as well as he would have liked. Across the room, Damon lowered the newspaper and huffed in annoyance.

"There's nothing about that Logan guy I killed in here – not a word. Someone's covering it up."

"Probably the Council," Scarlett said simply, causing Damon's intense gaze to fly to her face. He frowned at her comment, picking up a golden pocket watch and twirling it in one hand as he tilted his head in question.

"The Council?" he asked. Scarlett nodded as she realised everyone in the room was staring at her.

"Yeah, the Founders Council. Members of the Founding Families; they organise all of the events in town. Zach and my mum were members before they…" Scarlett trailed off and lowered her gaze to the floor as a surge of sadness flooded through her. A hand grasped her own, and she looked up to see Stefan gazing at her, his eyes filled with warmth. She smiled slightly at him, before looking at Damon who was staring at her with the oddest look in his pale blue eyes. Before she could question it, he turned back to the newspaper, his long fingers still fiddling with the pocket watch.

"What is that?" Vicki asked, voicing Scarlett's own question.

"It's a very special, very old compass," he said as he raised his head to look at Stefan. "What was Logan Fell doing with it? Aren't you curious?" Stefan gazed at his brother, his expression dark.

"Well if you're so worried that somebody's on to you, why don't you just leave town, Damon?" he asked. Scarlett felt her stomach drop at Stefan's question, and lowered her gaze to the floor, waiting on tenterhooks for Damon's response.

"We should all be worried," the elder Salvatore said simply as he smirked at his brother. He hadn't failed to notice Scarlett's reaction to his brother's question, and felt a certain sense of satisfaction that at least one person would apparently miss him if he left.

"Great, um… I'm hungry; do you have anything to eat?" Vicki's question pierced the tension in the room, and three pairs of eye turned towards the new vampire. Stefan stood up, walked towards his desk and picked up a mug which he then handed to Vicki. Vicki glanced at the mug's contents in distaste. "What is it?" she asked.

"It's what you're craving," Stefan replied, but he was interrupted by Damon's derisive snort.

"Ha, don't lie to the girl. It's so not what you're craving, but it'll do in a pinch, right Stef?" Damon caught Scarlett scowling at him and winked cheekily at her, causing a blush to rise in her cheeks.

"What is it?" Vicki asked again, her curiosity peaked.

"Yeah, what is it?" Damon asked sarcastically. "Skunk? St. Bernard? Bambi? Or did Scarlett manage to trap some cute little bunnies for you?" Scarlett rolled her eyes at Damon's immaturity.

"You know, for a hundred and sixty something year old vampire, you have a seriously bad sense of humour," she said dryly as she watched Vicki take a hesitant sip of the liquid in the mug, her nose turning up in disgust.

"Go on, give it a try," Stefan said encouragingly, ignoring his brother's attempts to rile him.

"She's new –she needs people blood, she can't sustain on that stuff," Damon said matter-of-factly as he continued to peruse the newspaper. Vicki drained the mug's contents before nodding happily at Damon.

"Yeah, why can't I have people blood?" she asked, her eyes trailing towards Scarlett. The redhead sat back and shook her head violently.

"Oh no, no way. No vampires are gonna be biting me," she said firmly as she gave Vicki a hard stare.

"Not yet…" Damon murmured in a sing-song tone, causing Scarlett to turn her glare on him. Stefan leant forward, drawing Vicki's gaze away from his goddaughter.

"Because it's wrong to prey on innocent people, Vicki," he explained. Damon turned away from Scarlett's dark blue eyes to roll his eyes at his brother.

"You don't have to kill to feed; just find someone really tasty and then erase their memory afterwards. It's so easy," he finished with a smirk, causing Vicki to giggle.

"No, no, there's no guarantee that you can control yourself; it takes years to learn that. You could easily kill somebody, and then you have to carry that with you for the rest of your life, which if I haven't made clear, is eternity," Stefan lectured. Scarlett frowned at Vicki, who didn't seem to be paying any attention to Stefan's words.

"Don't listen to him," Damon said calmly. "He walks on a moral plain way out of our eye line. I say snatch – eat – erase."

"Like it's ever that simple," Scarlett retorted, her dark eyes narrowing at Damon as he turned to smirk at her.

"And how much experience in vampire feeding habits do you have, little miss empath?" the blue eyed vampire asked sarcastically. Yet again, Stefan ignored the bickering between Damon and his goddaughter to draw Vicki's attention back to him.

"Hey, look at me. We choose our own path; our values, and our actions, they define who we are."

"Okay Count Deepak… I'm outta here." With that, Damon pocketed the compass and left the room, throwing a wink at Scarlett as he walked past her. The red head mentally shook herself before standing up.

"I should go too; I've already missed way too much school this semester." Stefan nodded absently and Scarlett slung her bag over her shoulder and strode out of the room, skipping down the stairs to the hallway. She could hear voices from the front door and frowned, wondering who could be calling this early. Rounding the corner, she stopped in her tracks as she saw Elena stood on the porch with Damon. Neither of them looked happy.

"Elena, hey," Scarlett said as she walked towards the pair, forcing a wide smile onto her face. The brunette glared at Damon before turning to Scarlett.

"Hey Scarlett – is Stefan here?" Damon sighed loudly, causing Scarlett to frown at him.

"Didn't I just tell you he was?" he asked mockingly. Elena glared at him again.

"Excuse me if I don't believe you," Elena replied, her tone derisive. Scarlett rolled her eyes at the pair of them, before elbowing Damon in the ribs. He glanced down at her, a dangerous glint in his frosty eyes.

"Behave," Scarlett murmured. Damon leaned down so that his mouth was a breath away from her ear.

"Make me," he whispered suggestively, causing a tingle to run up Scarlett's spine. She turned to glare at him, but instead found herself staring into his ice blue eyes and her heart began to pound loudly in her ears. A discreet cough broke the spell, and Scarlett spun back to Elena, her cheeks heating once again.

"Uh, Stefan's in his room. Up the stairs, turn left and then through the door on the right," she said quickly, her voice quavering slightly. Elena studied her friend, noting everything from the blush in her cheeks to her nervous stammer, before her eyes turned to Damon who was staring down at Scarlett with an unreadable expression on his face. Hesitantly, she stepped inside, walking between the pair to force them apart.

"Thanks Scarlett. I'll see you later?" The redhead gave her friend a small smile and inclined her head in agreement, before turning to leave.

"Need a ride to school?" Damon asked as he walked along beside her. Scarlett rolled her eyes and dug around in her bag for her car keys.

"I'm perfectly capable of driving myself to school," she said, her voice tinged with annoyance. After their little 'moment' in front of Elena, Scarlett wanted nothing more than to get as far away from Damon as she could.

"Come on; let me do something nice for you, Scar." Scarlett stopped walking and looked up at Damon, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"What do you want, Damon?" The vampire smiled at her innocently, but Scarlett wasn't buying it. "What do you need from me that's so important you'd actually attempt to be nice to me?"

"I'm always nice to you," Damon said, his eyes twinkling with amusement, but when all Scarlett did was raise one delicate eyebrow, he dropped the smile and stared down at her seriously. "What do you know about the Founder's Council?" he asked, his gaze never once leaving hers. Scarlett shook her head slightly, tossing her hair over one shoulder.

"Only what I told you this morning… Zach and my mum didn't really talk about it." Damon considered her words, his gaze lowering to the silver locket around her neck before returning to her sapphire eyes, which were alight with curiosity. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Damon said quickly, his lips curving in his trademark smirk. He turned and sauntered to his car, pulling on his leather jacket as he moved. "Oh, and Scar?" He glanced over his shoulder to see the redhead pause as she opened her car door. "Make sure you and Vicki are never alone." Her eyebrows curved down in a frown.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want her anywhere near that pretty little neck of yours," he said with a shrug, before hopping into his car and driving off, leaving Scarlett frozen in the drive, completely bemused. Was Damon worried about her? Impossible. Forcing his comment to the back of her mind, Scarlett clambered into her car and headed towards school. She couldn't risk being late.

* * *

Mystic Falls High had definitely got into the Halloween spirit. Students were sat outside carving pumpkins and painting signs for the party that was being thrown. Scarlett hurried through the bustling crowds as she made her way to her locker, and smiled widely when she saw Bonnie waiting for her.

"Scarlett, where have you been? You didn't reply to any of my texts," the young witch said as she pulled her friend into a hug. Scarlett drew back and opened her locker, filling her bag with the books she would need for the morning.

"I know, I'm sorry. Just some family drama – Zach had to go out of town for a while, so I was spending time with him before he left," Scarlett said, the lie slipping easily of her tongue. Bonnie smiled at the redhead in understanding, before glancing over her shoulder. Scarlett turned to see what had caught her friend's attention and was immediately greeted with the sight of Caroline holding out two large shopping bags.

"I have got your costumes," she said in a sing-song voice as Bonnie and Scarlett reached for the bags. "It's all here." The girls grinned at each other before opening the bags to see what Caroline had brought them. Reaching in, Scarlett drew out a white apron and a dark green headband.

"Um, Care… What is this supposed to be?" she asked hesitantly. Bonnie, who was frowning into her own bag, glanced at the items in Scarlett's hand with raised brows.

"Malice in Wonderland – I thought it'd suit you more than the classic version." Scarlett gazed blankly at the dark green material pooling at the bottom of the bag. She glanced at Bonnie who shrugged and pulled her own costume out with a sigh of annoyance.

"Seriously?" the witch asked, frowning at Caroline. The blonde huffed and leant heavily against the lockers.

"Come on! Can someone please be excited that it's Halloween? I just wanna have fun. You know just some silly, fluffy, Damon free fun." Scarlett ducked her head at Caroline's mention of Damon, pretending to examine the witch's hat that went with Bonnie's costume.

"Hey isn't this the one you got from Damon?" Bonnie asked Caroline, holding up an ugly amber pendant. Scarlett reached forward to take hold of it and turned it over in the palm of her hand. It seemed very ordinary; why had Damon given it to Caroline, she wondered.

"Yep," Caroline relied easily, popping the p. "Wear it, toss it – I don't care. I just want it gone." Bonnie and Scarlett exchanged worried glances before Caroline suddenly straightened, her face becoming serious in an instant.

"Have either of you seen Elena? Do we know what she's wearing?" Bonnie shrugged her shoulders in response.

"I've been with Grams all weekend – I haven't talked to her. Maybe she's with Stefan." Caroline huffed again and leaned back against the lockers, glaring across the corridor at nothing in particular.

"Riding to his castle on his white horse," she grumbled sarcastically. Scarlett poked her gently in the ribs, causing the blonde to smile.

"Don't be bitter – it provokes wrinkles," the redhead said with a wink. Smiling brightly, the three girls walked to class.

* * *

After school, Scarlett drove back to the Boarding House, her costume bag resting on the passenger seat. She was excited about the party that evening; after all the drama of the last few days, she needed to let her hair down and have some fun. Parking in the drive, she quickly gathered her things and walked around the back of the house to the kitchen door. The kitchen was empty when she walked in, so she dropped her bags on the counter and strolled to the fridge to grab a bottle of water and something to eat.

"What's in the bag?" Scarlett shrieked, dropping a plate of left-over pasta on the floor as she spun around to find Damon leaning against the counter behind her.

"Stop creeping up on me!" she exclaimed as she waited for her heart to slow to a normal rhythm before kneeling down to clean up the broken plate of food.

"But it's so much fun making you jump," Damon said with a smirk as he crouched down beside her to help clean up. Their hands brushed as they reached for a shard of plate, and Scarlett felt a tingle go up her arm and spread through her body at the contact. They finished tidying up in silence, then Scarlett grabbed her bags and headed towards the hallway. "You never answered my question," Damon said behind her. Scarlett paused to glance over her shoulder.

"It's my costume," she said simply as she continued to walk through the house to her bedroom. Damon didn't follow her, and she was both relieved and disappointed by his seeming lack of interest. Once in her bedroom, she locked the door to make sure there would be no unwanted interruptions and emptied the contents of her costume bag onto her bed. Her jaw dropped in astonishment; Caroline had really gone to town this time.

The costume consisted of a dark green corseted dress that would probably reach to about mid-thigh when Scarlett put it on. With it was a frothy white petticoat, a pair of thigh high black and white striped stockings, black heels and the apron and headband that she had seen earlier. Scarlett couldn't help the smile that broke out across her face, and she made a mental note to get Caroline an amazing birthday present in return for finding her such a brilliant costume.

Grinning happily, Scarlett set to work on her makeup, doing a dramatic smoky look on her eyes and layering a pale lipstick onto her lips to complete the mysterious look. She curled her auburn tresses into messy ringlets, then slipped on her costume. Looking in the full length mirror, Scarlett grinned at the end result. She put her phone and purse into a small black bag which she slung over her shoulder, then skipped downstairs. Stefan was in the parlour, and when he caught sight of her, both his eyebrows rose towards his hairline.

"You can't tell me off for this, Uncle Stefan, it wasn't my idea," Scarlett said immediately, sure that he was going to get angry about her somewhat revealing costume. Instead, he just smiled, his forest green eyes sparkling in the dimly lit room.

"Actually, I was going to say you look lovely, even though I'm not exactly sure who you're supposed to be…" Scarlett smiled as she stepped further into the room, her eyes quickly scanning it to make sure they were alone.

"Are you sure you don't want to come to the party?" she asked her godfather. Stefan shook his head sadly.

"I really need to stay with Vicki; Elena's worried that she'll try and get to Jeremy." Scarlett chewed thoughtfully on her bottom lip as she fiddled with the apron of her costume.

"Okay, well… Have a good evening, I guess," she said finally. Stefan smiled gently and pulled his goddaughter in for a quick hug before the redhead left. Once again, Scarlett drove to the school, leaving her car in the parking lot as she tried to find her friends. She saw Caroline and Bonnie stood by a witch's cauldron full of sweets and smirked slightly at the irony of it. The blonde turned as Scarlett walked towards them, and her grey eyes lit up in excitement.

"I knew you'd look amazing in that costume!" she said happily. Scarlett did a little twirl and Bonnie and Caroline both applauded.

"Well it's all down to you, Care," Scarlett said with a bright smile. There was a tap on her shoulder, and Scarlett turned to find Tyler stood behind her wearing little more than a red cloak and a pair of shorts.

"Cider for the ladies?" he asked, holding out three cups of alcohol. "It's a Lockwood special." Bonnie groaned and shook her head.

"No way, last year I was hung-over until Thanksgiving," she said, frowning at the memory. Tyler turned to Scarlett, who smiled and shook her head.

"Designated driver," she explained. Caroline rolled her eyes as she reached forward to take a cup from Tyler.

"Honestly, you two are going to be no fun this evening. I, however, am going to drink until someone is hot enough to make out with," she said with a suggestive smirk.

"Sounds like a plan," Tyler agreed, and he tapped his glass against Caroline's before winking at Scarlett. Scarlett ignored his flirting as she turned to Bonnie and Caroline.

"I'm gonna check out the rest of the school," she told them. The two girls nodded and Scarlett left them outside to go exploring.

Inside she found Jeremy, Elena and Matt talking, the latter two wearing the same costumes as last year. Creeping up on them, she tickled Matt's sides, causing him to jump.

"Honestly, you two have no imagination," she teased. Matt laughed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Unlike you, it would seem. What are you supposed to be, again?" Scarlett elbowed the jock gently in the ribs as Elena watched on, her lips stretched in a grin. Jeremy just rolled his eyes and pulled his hood lower over his forehead.

"Malice in Wonderland, obviously," Scarlett said, striking a pose. Elena and Matt laughed at her antics.

"I never would have guessed," Elena said playfully.

"So, what's with last year's costumes?" Scarlett asked, stealing Matt's stethoscope and wrapping it around her neck.

"I didn't know I was coming until an hour ago," Elena explained with a sigh.

"Me neither," said Matt, and the two smiled at each other before tapping a plastic hand and foot together in a weird high-five. Scarlett turned to Jeremy, looking him up and down with a slight smirk.

"And you're going as… You?" she asked teasingly. Jeremy threw her a unimpressed glare before stalking away from the group, his hands thrust into his pockets. "Wow… Moody teenagers…" Scarlett muttered, turning to Elena to find her frowning at her brother's back.

"He's not talking to me right now," she said, resting her hands on her hips in frustration. "We got into a fight." Matt sighed in sympathy.

"Yeah, I got into it with Vick to when she got home," he said, causing Scarlett's dark blue eyes to snap towards him. Vicki shouldn't be at home – she should be with Stefan. A shiver of fear ran down her spine. "I'm trying not to smother her tonight, but part of me didn't want to let her out of my sight."

"She's here?" Elena asked him, her wide eyes flying to Scarlett who was already scanning the corridor.

"Yeah. You can't miss her; she's a vampire." Scarlett laughed nervously at Matt's comment – if only he knew. Closing her eyes, Scarlett reached out with her mind in an attempt to locate the newly turned vampire. She thought it might be easier considering she'd already formed a link with Vicki's mind, but Scarlett couldn't get a read on her with all the other people crowding around.

"Where did Jeremy go?" Elena asked worriedly, causing Scarlett to open her eyes and look around, searching for her friend's brother. "I gotta find him." She felt Elena grab her hand, and the two of them hurried into the crowd, ignoring Matt who was calling after them.

The strobe lights and the crowds made it difficult to see properly in the dimly lit corridor, and the two girls stumbled several times, knocking in to strangers as they rushed through the school. Once again, Scarlett opened her mind, this time finding a familiar surge of emotions pressing against her consciousness.

"Stefan's here," she told Elena, yelling over the pulsating music. The brunette nodded to show that she had heard, and Scarlett led her down a corridor until she found her godfather, who had a tight grip on Vicki. "Thank God," she muttered as they came to a stop beside Stefan.

"What's the matter?" Stefan asked quickly, his eyes skimming over both Scarlett and Elena to make sure neither of them was hurt.

"I lost track of Jeremy; I was worried," Elena explained, glancing darkly at Vicki as she stood next to them. Just then, Matt came up to the group, standing next to Scarlett. His eyes lowered to Stefan's hand on his sister's arm and he frowned.

"What's going on?" he asked. Scarlett and Elena shared a nervous glance as Stefan attempted to explain.

"Hey, uh, everything's fine," he told Matt. He didn't try to compel him; it would be too risky in such a crowded place, and there was no guarantee it would even work. Suddenly Vicki pulled her arm out of Stefan's grip with a glare.

"I told you to quit bothering me," she said loudly, causing Scarlett, Elena and Stefan to frown at her in confusion.

"No, Vicki, don't do this-" Elena started, but Vicki cut her off.

"Matt, he won't leave me alone," she told her brother quietly, looking at him with wide, scared eyes. Scarlett scowled at Vicki as her temper began to rise.

"Vicki, don't be stupid," she said harshly, causing Matt to glower at her.

"Don't talk to my sister like that," he said, pushing Vicki behind him in a protective stance before turning to Stefan. "And you need to back off, man," he warned him. Elena forced her way between them, placing her hands on Matt's chest to try and calm him down.

"Matt it's okay," she said, but he was having none of it.

"No, it's not okay," he said loudly, pushing past Elena to take a menacing step towards Stefan. "What the hell is your problem?" he asked as he focused his angry gaze on the vampire. A pulse of wind set Scarlett's hair dancing, and when she looked around, Vicki was nowhere to be found.

"Stefan, she's gone" she said quickly, before pulling Elena away and running down the corridor. Stefan soon followed, and the three of them continued to search for Vicki. The trio split up, Scarlett and Elena leaving Stefan to track her in his own way while the girls relied on Scarlett's empathic abilities to try and find Jeremy. Elena saw someone wearing a hoody similar to her brother's and immediately went up to him, only to find it was someone she had never met. Scarlett was about to follow her when a tidal wave of emotion flooded her body and she fell to her knees in pain.

"Elena," she gasped. The brunette turned and, seeing her friend on the floor, hurried to her side, crouched beside her and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"What is it, Scarlett?" she asked quickly, filled with worry for the redhead. Scarlett felt sick. She placed a hand to her stomach to try and calm the churning feeling there, but it did little to help the overriding feeling coursing through her.

"Hunger," she whispered. "I feel hunger." Her dark blue eyes rose to meet Elena's. "Vicki's outside… with Jeremy." Elena masked her shock at this first obvious use of Scarlett's powers and helped her friend to her feet before the pair stumbled towards the fire exit. They found themselves at the back of the school, where the school buses were parked when they weren't needed. Scarlett felt another crippling wave of hunger and almost collapsed, but the sound of Jeremy's cries helped her force her emotions back.

Elena grabbed a plank of wood from a nearby barrel and ran towards her brother, Scarlett right behind her. They saw Vicki holding Jeremy against a bus, her fangs exposed, ready to bite into his neck.

"Vicki, no!" Elena yelled, drawing the vampire's attention away from her brother and towards her and Scarlett. Vicki thrust Jeremy to the ground before advancing on Elena, who stepped forward and swung the plank of wood in her hands. Vicki smirked before tearing the wood out of Elena's grasp and throwing her back into a pile of rubbish before proceeding to stalk towards Scarlett.

Scarlett took a step back, reaching inside herself for the pain and confusion she could feel coursing through her from Jeremy, and thrust it into Vicki's mind. The vampire screamed, clutching her head in agony, but Scarlett was still weak and she couldn't hold Vicki down for long. Scarlett stumbled slightly as she felt the emotions draining from her body, leaving her empty. Vicki stood straight, baring her fangs at Scarlett, about to pounce, when suddenly she was shoved back against a bus, Stefan holding her in place. Jeremy and Elena stood up, tiptoeing towards the commotion.

"Vicki!" Jeremy yelled, his worry for his girlfriend stronger at that moment than his worry about what she was. Vicki pushed Stefan away with a growl before disappearing, leaving the rest of them in silence. Stefan glanced around, taking in Scarlett's pale, drained face, Elena's bleeding waist and Jeremy's confused expression. He turned to his goddaughter, who looked at him with haunted eyes.

"Scarlett, get them inside," he said quickly. The redhead nodded and grabbed Elena's wrist, ushering her and Jeremy towards the door.

"Hurry," she said quietly as she pushed the Gilbert's into a run. Scarlett watched as Elena opened the door before she felt herself being yanked backwards. A hand fisted in Scarlett's hair, pulling her head to the side as a set of fangs plunged into her neck, eliciting a scream of pain from the redhead. Scarlett could feel her blood being sucked from her body as her vision started to swim.

Vicki pulled back, growling in pleasure, before going in for another bite. Suddenly, she gasped in shock, her hands dropping from Scarlett's body as she staggered back. Scarlett raised a hand to her neck, her eyes lowering to the plank of wood protruding bloodily from Vicki's chest. The vampire attempted to breathe, wheezing as the air refused to enter her lungs. Behind her, Stefan pulled the makeshift stake from Vicki's body, his eyes full of sadness as he watched the teenager take her final breaths.

Scarlett barely registered Jeremy's tortured screams. All she could do was stand and watch as her friend slowly collapsed to her knees as the life drained from her eyes. A single tear slipped down Vicki's cheek and her skin turned a sickly grey colour, the veins protruding as her body desiccated.

The redhead stood over Vicki's dead body, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Finally, she glanced towards Elena to see her silently crying, her arms wrapped around her brother in an attempt to calm him. Her godfather was staring solemnly at Vicki's body, and Scarlett could feel his guilt radiating towards her.

"Stefan, get them out of here," Scarlett whispered. He raised his eyes to hers before nodding and steering Elena and Jeremy away from the scene, pulling out his phone as he went. Slowly, Scarlett knelt by Vicki's side as tears started to trace their way down her face. She reached forward to brush the hair back from Vicki's face and thought how strange it was that this was the second time she was kneeling over the girls' dead body. She could still feel the blood oozing from where Vicki had bitten her, but somehow it didn't seem so important at that moment.

A few minutes later, soft footsteps made their way towards Scarlett. She started to panic, wondering how she would explain this scenario to a stranger when a figure appeared in the corner of her eye and she realised who was approaching.

"You should go. I got this," Damon said easily as he stood over Scarlett and Vicki's body. Slowly, Scarlett raised her gaze to Damon's, her eyes narrowing in a cold glare. His smirk only angered her further as she began to rise to her feet.

"You did this," Scarlett growled, her eyes gleaming with an anger she didn't know she was capable of. "This is your fault." Damon raised a taunting eyebrow before glancing down at Vicki, wondering how he was going to move her without people asking questions.

"You confuse me for someone with remorse," he said calmly, throwing Scarlett a quick glance. He could smell her blood, and was finding it incredibly hard not to steal a taste. Seething with anger and hurt, Scarlett shoved him, causing Damon to step back slightly. She raised her hand to slap him, only to have him catch her wrist and squeeze, not enough to break but enough to cause her pain. His eyes were like chips of ice as he gazed steadily at her. "None of this matters to me. None of it."

"You seem to forget that I'm an empath," Scarlett whispered as she stared up at him. He looked momentarily confused before she continued. "I'm the one person in this town who knows you're lying. It does matter – you know it, and I know it." Scarlett quickly raised her other hand and slapped him hard around the face. Damon's eyes held a dangerous glint as he turned back to Scarlett, a light pink mark blooming on his cheek where her hand had connected. He pulled her forward roughly so that her body collided with his and trapped both of her hands behind her back. Glaring down at her, he tilted his head slightly and took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of her blood.

"I'm gonna ignore your momentary lapse in judgement," he said quietly as Scarlett trembled in his hold, her breath coming in small gasps that caused her breasts to press temptingly against his chest. "I need to borrow your car, and then I'm going to drive you home and we'll forget this whole little affair." Stealing her car keys from her bag, he let her go and began to walk away. "Wait here," he called over his shoulder before striding towards the parking lot.

Damon took deep breaths through his nose as he got into Scarlett's car and turned on the ignition. He had to get a handle on his self-control. Not only that, he had to start remembering why the hell he had come back to Mystic Falls after all these years; it wasn't so that he could flirt with his brother's seventeen year old goddaughter. But Scarlett was more than tempting. Not only was she smart and beautiful, but she challenged him and she didn't fall for his bull shit. Unlike everyone else he knew, she tried to understand him and she didn't try to change him.

Shaking his head, Damon forced those thoughts to the back of his mind. He had a game plan, and it was one he was sticking to. Pulling the car up behind the school buses, he climbed out and made his way towards Scarlett. She had stayed where she was, crouched on the floor beside Vicki's body, and when she heard him approach she looked up at him with wide, sad eyes. Damon gritted his teeth; there was no way he was going to say something to try and comfort her.

"Get in the car," he said shortly, and Scarlett immediately stood and darted away from him. She was scared of him – good, that would make things easier. He scooped Vicki's body into his arms and carried her to the boot of the car, placing her inside before closing the boot with a snap and sliding into the driver's seat. Scarlett was curled up in the front passenger seat, her arms wrapped around her knees. The blood had finally clotted at her neck and formed a messy scab, so Damon didn't have to worry about her fainting from blood loss anytime soon.

The drive away from school was silent. Scarlett leant her head against the window, refusing to look at Damon as silent tears trickled from her eyes. After half an hour of driving, Damon pulled over on the side of the road and turned off the car. Looking outside, Scarlett could see nothing but trees; no cars passed by them, and there was no other sign of habitation. Damon glanced across at the redhead, concern tinging his pale eyes for less than a second before his trademark smirk graced his lips.

"I suggest you wait in the car. The next bit is a bit messy," he taunted. Scarlett didn't respond, didn't even blink, so Damon climbed out of the car, grabbed Vicki's body and stalked further into the woods.

It didn't take him long to dig her a shallow grave near the river, and soon enough he made his way back towards the car. Scarlett was stood outside leaning against the bonnet, her arms folded across her chest as she shivered with cold. Damon scowled at her as he approached.

"Standing outside in that costume – really smart," he said sarcastically. As gorgeous as she looked, the short skirt and sleeves of her costume weren't exactly protecting her from the cold night air. Shrugging out of his leather jacket, he slipped it around Scarlett's shoulders and gently rubbed her arms to try and warm her. She didn't react, simply stood there staring blankly over his shoulder. "Scarlett?" Damon said gently. She blinked, as though waking from a dream, and focused on his pale blue eyes.

"Can you take me to Elena's?" she asked, her voice so soft that a human wouldn't have been able to hear her. Damon sighed. He wanted to take her home; what she needed was rest, not to spend more time worrying about her friend.

"Get in the car," he said shortly. Scarlett flinched at his tone and hurried to follow his instructions. Once in the car, she slid Damon's jacket from her shoulders and put it on the backseat. Damon didn't comment as he started the car again, but a muscle ticked in his jaw as he turned the heating on as high as it would go and drove back to town.

Scarlett didn't speak for the entirety of the journey. All she could do was sit and gaze out of the window, wondering what she was going to say if someone asked her where Vicki was. What if that someone was Matt? How would she be able to look him in the eye, knowing that his sister was dead and that she knew where Vicki's body was buried?

Vicki wasn't the only thing on Scarlett's mind. Time and again her thoughts strayed to the vampire sitting beside her. She wasn't going to lie to herself anymore; she felt something for Damon. She wasn't sure exactly what it was, but it certainly wasn't bad. Scarlett mentally shook herself. She shouldn't feel anything for Damon. He was an unfeeling murderer; and yet… There had been a moment, a fleeting moment as they stood gazing at Vicki's dead body, where Scarlett had felt a flicker of emotion from Damon. He did care, more than he let on and more than anyone else realised. That was why Scarlett cared; because underneath all of his sarcastic comments and sly smirks was a man with genuine feelings.

"We're here." Damon's voice drew Scarlett from her thoughts, and she looked out of the window to see the Gilbert house across the street. She and Damon climbed out of the car and walked towards the house side by side. Scarlett could see Elena and Stefan stood on the porch talking; she turned to Damon, a question in her blue eyes.

"What's going on?" she asked softly. Damon glanced down at her, ignoring the temptation to wrap his arm around her shoulders.

"Elena's want's Stefan to compel Jeremy to forget this evening," he replied just as quietly. Scarlett nodded to herself as she and Damon climbed the side stairs to the porch – maybe it would be for the best. She barely caught the end of their conversation.

"I don't have the ability to do it right," Stefan murmured. Scarlett looked up at Damon as an idea came to her head. She whispered one word.

"Please?" Damon stared into Scarlett's dark blue eyes before inclining his head and turning towards the couple on the porch.

"I can do it," he said, loud enough for Stefan and Elena to hear him. The couple turned towards Damon and Scarlett as they walked closer. "If it's what you want, I'll do it." Elena's eye's met Scarlett's, and when the redhead nodded in confirmation, Elena turned back to Stefan.

"It's what I want." Scarlett could tell that Stefan wasn't happy about the idea, but he inclined his head, bowing to Elena's wishes.

"What do you want him to know?" Damon asked matter-of-factly. Elena turned back to Damon and Scarlett, tears glistening in her dark brown eyes. She took a moment to think before she replied.

"I want you to tell him that Vicki left town," Elena said, her voice shaking slightly with grief. "And she's not coming back. That he shouldn't look for her, or worry about her. He's gonna miss her, but he knows it's for the best." Damon nodded and started to head inside when Elena's voice stopped him. "Scarlett, will you go with him?" she asked.

"Of course," Scarlett replied quietly, before leading Damon into the house and up the stairs. She opened Jeremy's door to find him on his bed, his knees curled against his chest as he sobbed into his arms. Scarlett perched on the edge of the bed, her hands on Jeremy's as he looked up at her with anguished brown eyes. "Jere, this is my friend Damon," she said softly as Damon came closer. "He needs to have a quick word with you, okay?" Jeremy nodded absently, and Scarlett moved back to the door as Damon took her place on the bed. His voice was so quiet that Scarlett couldn't hear what he told Jeremy, but when he stopped talking the boy instantly lay back and fell asleep, a small smile curving his lips.

"Finished," said Damon as he stood and faced Scarlett, taking in her limp hair, pale skin and the ugly bite mark on her neck. "Now, will you let me take you home?" he asked. Scarlett's only response was to turn and walk back downstairs, trailing her hand on the bannister for support. Her head was starting to feel woozy, and all she wanted was to fall into her bed and go to sleep.

Damon followed her onto the porch, where they found Stefan and Elena sat on the bench talking quietly. The couple turned when they heard them approach, and Elena's eyes flew to Damon.

"It's done," he said gently. Elena inclined her head before standing and walking towards Scarlett. The two girls stared at each other quietly for a moment before wrapping their arms around each other. No words were needed, just silent comfort and support.

"Thank you," Elena whispered in the redhead's ear, before pulling back and hurrying into the house, closing the door behind her. Scarlett, Damon and Stefan gazed at the door for a minute, and then they all wandered towards Scarlett's car, Damon climbing into the driver's seat. Scarlett let Stefan sit in the front, while she curled herself up on the back seat. No one spoke as Damon drove them back to the Boarding House, and when they arrived they all made their separate ways to their bedrooms.

Scarlett traipsed to her bathroom and gazed at herself in the mirror – she looked a fright. She quickly tied her hair into a loose bun before filling the sink with hot water and grabbing some tissue paper. The bite mark on her neck had turned into a congealed mess, and there were dried rivulets of blood all over her arm and chest. Soaking the tissue paper in warm water, Scarlett slowly began to clean herself up, wiping hard to remove the dried blood. She flinched when the scab over the bite started to break, and blood began to seep from the wound.

"Let me do that." Scarlett didn't even blink as Damon entered the room, placing a steaming cup of hot chocolate on the side before taking the bloody tissues from her hands. She jumped up onto the counter and tilted her head to the side to give Damon more room to work.

"What's that?" she asked, gesturing towards the mug as Damon gently cleaned away the fresh blood.

"You've had a trying day – I thought you might like something to help you calm down." Scarlett winced slightly as Damon rubbed an antiseptic wipe over her wound.

"You're being nice again, Damon," she teased as she closed her eyes. She felt herself losing her balance, and quickly rested her arms on Damon's shoulders in order to stay upright. Damon's hands slowed as he gazed at the girl in front of him. She should hate him, or at least be terrified of him, and yet her actions showed such trust that he couldn't help but smile a little.

"Shh, don't tell anyone," he whispered with a smirk. Scarlett giggled softly and Damon tensed, his whole being focused on that one sound. Taking a deep, steadying breath, Damon quickly fixed a large white dressing to Scarlett's neck, covering the bite mark. "All done," he said quietly. Scarlett opened her eyes and hopped off the counter, dropping her hands from his shoulders.

"Thank you. Now, will you leave so that I can change?" Damon smirked as he followed the redhead out of the bathroom and watched her grab her shorty pyjamas.

"Now why would I leave when the show's about to begin?" he asked, his trademark smirk firmly in place. Scarlett rolled her eyes as she sat on the edge of her bed.

"And there you go being a jerk again," she said with a small smile. Damon was about to leave when he remembered the hot chocolate in the bathroom. Fetching it, he handed it to Scarlett who frowned at him.

"Make sure you drink it," Damon said firmly. Scarlett looked confused as she took a hesitant sip of the drink.

"It tastes funny," she replied, turning her nose up at the exceedingly sweet taste of the hot drink.

"I put something strong in to help you sleep," Damon explained as he walked to the door. "Just, make sure you finish it. You'll feel better, I promise."

"Damon?" The vampire paused with his hand on the door. "How long is this nice act going to last?" Damon threw a smirk over his shoulder.

"What nice act?" he taunted, before closing the bedroom door behind him. Scarlett stayed where she was, her mind reeling at Damon's confusing behaviour. She had to try and figure him out, but that would have to wait until the morning. Deciding to follow his orders, Scarlett downed the overly sweet hot chocolate before changing into her pyjamas and crawling into bed. Her neck itched momentarily, but she ignored it and quickly fell into a deep slumber.

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**A/N: So, I know I said I wouldn't be updating for a while, but I hit a block on my NaNoWriMo project and decided to pop out a quick VD chapter to get my head turning. There's a link to Scarlett's costume on my profile page. Enough Damon/Scarlett fluff, or do you want more? ;) Let me know what you guys think - the more reviews I get, the happier I am!**

**Much love xx**


	8. 162 Candles

**A/N: Please don't hate me! Excuses for the extremely late update are at the bottom.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries, but I do own Miss Scarlett Williams.**

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Scarlett woke up bright and early the day before Stefan's birthday. The last time her godfather had been at the Boarding House for his birthday, Scarlett had still been a baby, so this year she wanted to do something special for the vampire. She planned on making the whole weekend unforgettable. Throwing on a pair of jeans and a dark red t-shirt, the redhead skipped down the stairs to the kitchen, pulling her long hair into a messy bun as she walked to the fridge.

Scarlett quickly gathered all the ingredients for chocolate chip pancakes, knowing they were secretly Stefan's favourite food, and got to work making breakfast for her godfather. Switching on the radio, she grinned as Katrina and the Waves 'I'm Walking on Sunshine' blasted through the speakers, and she began to dance while she cooked. After a few minutes, she had the strangest feeling that she was being watching, and turning to her left she saw Damon leaning casually against the door frame, his arms crossed over his chest and a lazy smirk pulling up the corner of his lips.

"The sexy empath cooks," he teased as Scarlett turned back to the stove with a glare, flipping one of the pancakes rather violently onto a plate. "What other surprises do you have for me, Scar?" The redhead ignored him, stomping towards the fridge to get orange juice, before stomping back to her position in front of the stove. "Still ignoring me, then?" Damon asked teasingly as he moved towards the coffee machine and poured himself a mug of the steaming liquid.

"Whatever gave you that impression?" Scarlett asked tightly as she stole the mug from Damon's hand and placed it on a tray with the plate of pancakes, a glass of orange juice and a birthday card. Picking up the tray, she turned for the door only to find Damon standing in her way. "Get out of my way, Damon," Scarlett growled.

"Come on Scar, what's the big deal?" Damon asked flippantly as he reached forward to grab a pancake, only to have his hand slapped away by the redhead.

"The big deal is you gave me your blood without telling me – do you have any idea how wrong that is?" Scarlett replied, her temper rising in line with her voice. Damon rolled his pale blue eyes and folded his arms across his muscular chest as he smirked down at the empath.

"I couldn't exactly let you walk around town with a great ugly bite mark on your neck now, could I?" he retorted smoothly. Scarlett huffed in frustration; he still didn't get it.

"That's not the point, Damon! What if I'd died?" she asked.

"That's a bit melodramatic, don't you think?"

"No, it's not melodramatic, Damon," Scarlett said, lowering her voice and fixing the dark haired vampire with a hard stare. "I don't want to be a vampire, Damon. If I'd died, that would have been it for me." Damon swallowed; his mouth was suddenly inexplicably dry. There was a strange stirring somewhere in his chest at the thought of Scarlett not being around anymore. "You don't have the right to make that decision for me," Scarlett finished, her voice just above a whisper. Damon gazed into Scarlett sapphire eyes, seemingly searching for something. The intensity of his stare made a shiver run down Scarlett's spine, and she dropped her gaze to the floor in annoyance, both at herself and at the vampire in front of her Finally, he stepped to one side and inclined his head in a half bow.

"Say good morning to my brother for me," he said quietly. Scarlett nodded once before walking from the room without a backwards glance. Carefully balancing the tray so that she didn't spill anything, Scarlett made her way up the stairs to Stefan's bedroom. As she approached, she thought she heard voices, and her brow furrowed slightly in confusion. Reaching the door, Scarlett used her toe to kick it open slightly and made her way inside.

"Happy birthday weekend, Uncle Stefan!" she said brightly, her eyes glancing around the room and finding her godfather lounging on the bed. The vampire smiled and sat up as Scarlett placed the tray of pancakes on the bed beside him. "Why are the curtains still shut?" she asked curiously as she perched on the chest at the end of the bed. Stefan shrugged his shoulders as he took a sip of coffee.

"No reason," he said evasively. Scarlett arched an eyebrow at her godfather as she pulled her hair out of its messy bun, letting it fall around her shoulders.

"You've just increased your weird credentials, congratulations," she said sarcastically as she watched Stefan start to plough his way through his birthday breakfast. Suddenly, the door to Stefan's bathroom slammed open, causing Scarlett's gaze to snap towards it. "What was that?" she asked hesitantly. Stefan slowly lowered his fork, his gaze never leaving the door.

"I have no idea," he murmured. A breeze raised the hairs on Scarlett's arms and she quickly stood up, her eyes flashing around the room. There was a growl from behind her and two arms encircled Scarlett's waist, causing her to let out a piercing shriek.

"Surprise!" Turning sharply to the side, Scarlett swore in relief when she saw who was holding her.

"Oh my God, Lexie, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" Scarlett gasped before flinging her arms around the blonde's shoulders and hugging her. Pulling back she saw her godfather doubled over on the bed, heaving with silent laughter. "You are such an ass," Scarlett said, but the grin on her lips revealed her true feelings. Lexie grinned in return as she hopped onto the bed and picked up one of the pancakes before smiling at Scarlett.

"So, how's my favourite little girl?" she asked, winking cheekily at the redhead as she sat back down. Scarlett rolled her eyes slightly.

"Not so little anymore, Aunt Lexie." The blonde groaned and covered her ears with her hands.

"Don't call me that; you make me sound so old!" Scarlett and Stefan exchanged baffled looks before the vampire grinned at Lexie.

"I hate to break this to you Lexie, but you are old," Stefan said with a half-smile. Lexie threw a quick glare at Stefan before picking up the glass of orange juice.

"Did no one ever teach you that it's rude to discuss a lady's age, Stefan?" she asked, turning her nose up in mock disgust at his lack of manners. She tried to keep a straight face, but when she failed the three of them fell about laughing.

"So, what are you doing in Mystic Falls?" Scarlett asked when they'd all calmed down enough to speak.

"I'm trying to convince your lame ass godfather to come to New York this weekend," Lexie replied as she got up and danced around at the bottom of the bed. "Bon Jovi's playing. You should come too, Scarlett. It'd be beyond awesome." Scarlett's blue eyes lit up and she turned to Stefan with a wide smile.

"That sounds amazing; please can we go, Uncle Stefan?" Scarlett asked, her eyes pleading her godfather to agree.

"I'm immune to your puppy dog look, Scarlett, so don't even try it," Stefan said teasingly, causing Scarlett to pout in disappointment. "Besides, do you think he would even remember us?" Stefan asked, turning to Lexie. "That was a pretty crazy weekend, remember?"

"We can make him remember us," Lexie replied with a cheeky grin. Stefan shook his head slightly as he pulled on his shoes.

"Well I guess the closest I'll get to Bon Jovi is that t-shirt you gave me," Scarlett sighed as she stared at the back of Stefan's head with wide eyes.

"I'm not going to change my mind Scarlett, so you can stop staring," he said, and Scarlett groaned before standing up and slouching towards the door.

"Fine, be boring. But you better hurry up and get ready; we have to be at the police station at ten. I'll meet you at the car," Scarlett said as she left the room, waving over her shoulder when Lexie bid her farewell. She quickly walked to her room and pulled on a pair of black Converse before grabbing her handbag and skipping down to the front hall. Stefan was already waiting for her. "That was quick," she commented as the two of them walked out of the house towards Scarlett's car.

"Well, I want to see Elena. Make sure she's alright." Scarlett nodded as the two of them climbed into the car and the redhead drove them towards town. Neither of them spoke; Scarlett was too busy going over the story they'd agreed to tell the Sheriff to explain Vicki's strange disappearance. Pulling up outside the police station, Scarlett saw the Gilbert's with their Aunt Jenna waiting by the main entrance. She and Stefan quickly walked towards the family, and the redhead smiled slightly at them before hugging Elena tightly. Pulling away, she glanced up at Jeremy.

"Hey Jere, how are you?" she asked quietly. Jeremy shrugged one shoulder and smiled slightly before turning and entering the police station. Scarlett and Elena exchanged confused looks before following him inside. They didn't have to wait long before Sheriff Forbes walked down the corridor towards them, a stern frown on her face.

"Scarlett, if you'd like to follow me?" she asked politely. Stealing a quick glance at her godfather for reassurance, Scarlett followed Caroline's mum into her office. "Please, take a seat." The redhead gingerly sat in the chair opposite Sheriff Forbes' desk as the older woman took her seat behind it. She shuffled a few papers around on her desk before picking up a pen and smiling at the nervous teenager in front of her. "There's nothing to worry about, Scarlett. I'm just going to ask you a few routine questions." Scarlett took a deep breath and folded her hands in her lap as Sheriff Forbes started to take notes. "Now, did Vicki speak to you before she left?"

"Briefly, but she didn't tell me she was leaving town. We weren't that close," Scarlett said in reply, the lie slipping easily from her tongue.

"Did she tell anyone where she was going?" the Sherriff asked.

"I honestly don't know. I know that she asked Jeremy to tell her brother she was leaving."

"Jeremy Gilbert? Were he and Vicki involved?" Scarlett shifted in her seat; these questions were going in an odd direction.

"Yeah, they were dating." Sheriff Forbes nodded and made a note on a piece of paper.

"So he may have some idea about where Vicki was going?" A brief picture of Jeremy's tear stricken face flashed before Scarlett's eyes before she replied.

"I guess so; I'm not entirely sure."

"One last question Scarlett, and then you can go. Did Vicki's display any odd behaviour the last time you spoke? Was she violent? On edge?" Scarlett felt a shudder go down her spine as she remembered Vicki's last moments and the pain of the vampire's fangs driving into her neck. She looked straight into Sheriff Forbes' eyes and calmly shook her head.

"No – not that I can remember." The sheriff nodded, her eyes straying to the notes in front of her before she raised her head and smiled at the redhead.

"That's all for now, Scarlett. Would you send Matt in next, please?" Scarlett forced her lips into a smile as she stood up and left the office, slinging her handbag over her shoulder. Making her way to reception, she saw Matt sitting on a bench and walked towards him. As she approached, Matt glanced up and Scarlett was overwhelmed by the disappointment emanating from the blonde. She stumbled slightly, and felt a hand grip her elbow firmly, holding her upright. She knew instinctively that it was Stefan; could feel his worry for her seeping into her mind.

Pushing every emotion aside from her own out of her mind, Scarlett straightened her shoulders and looked up to find Matt's concerned blue eyes gazing down at her.

"Are you okay, Scarlett?" he asked quietly. Scarlett nodded and smiled reassuringly at her friend.

"Sure thing; just a dizzy spell. The sheriff wants to see you." Matt nodded his blonde head, his face still pulled into a frown as he slowly made his way towards the sheriff's office. Once he was gone, Scarlett turned to find Stefan gazing down at her, his eyes full of anxiety. Elena had moved so that she was beside them, and she reached out to rub Scarlett's arm comfortingly.

"Are you sure you're okay?" the brunette asked, her voice low so that Jenna and Jeremy wouldn't overhear. Scarlett nodded; her gaze skimming around the area to make sure no one was listening.

"Yeah, it's just been a stressful couple of days." Stefan and Elena both nodded in understanding.

"Why don't you wait in the car? I shouldn't be too long," Stefan advised, and with a small smile at the pair, Scarlett carefully made her way outside and towards her car. Once inside, she leaned her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes. If felt like she was swimming in a sea of emotions; some stronger than others. They brushed against her consciousness like waves, threatening to spill over into her own emotions. Scarlett knew she had to get control of her powers, and fast, otherwise she wasn't sure if she'd be able to tell her own emotions from those of other people close to her. Slowly, she built mental barriers around her mind, closing off everything except her own feelings. The peace when she was finished was a refreshing change.

She wasn't sure if it was minutes or hours later, but eventually the passenger door opened and Stefan slid inside the car. Scarlett opened her dark blue eyes and gazed at her godfather. She didn't need her powers to tell that he was frustrated and upset.

"I take it your talk with Elena didn't go so well?" she asked quietly. Stefan was silent for a few moments, and Scarlett was sure that he wasn't going to answer, but finally he let out a pent up sigh and scrubbed his hands over his face.

"She wants me to stay away from her," he replied tiredly, his voice strained. Scarlett said nothing, simply put the car in gear and started the long drive back to the Boarding House. They had just left town when Stefan spoke again. "Should I? Leave her alone, I mean." Scarlett's eyebrows drew together as she thought about how to answer her godfather's question.

"It might be good to give her some time," she began hesitantly. "I don't think it's the vampire thing that's causing the issue, if that makes you feel any better." Scarlett could see Stefan turn to her from the corner of her eye, his gaze intense as he pondered her words. "You're asking her to lie to two people who she really cares about, and it's not a little lie - it's fairly huge. She just needs some time to sort out how she feels, that's all."

Stefan was silent for the rest of the journey, staring glumly out of the window at the passing scenery. This was not the fantastic birthday weekend Scarlett had planned for him. Pulling up in front of the Boarding House, the redhead turned to her godfather with a determined look on her face.

"No more brooding, Stefan," she said firmly, causing the vampire to glance at her in surprise. "It's your birthday; we're going to have fun, so there will be no gloomy faces or sighs until your birthday is over, understood?" Stefan's forest green eyes twinkled with amusement as he looked at his goddaughter, and his lips twitched up in a small smile. "And if it'll make you happy, I'll call Elena and make sure she's okay." Scarlett was about to get out of the car when she felt Stefan grab her hand. As she turned back to him, his smile widened.

"Thank you, Scarlett." Scarlett shrugged nonchalantly.

"I hope you're not expecting a present as well," she replied cheekily. Stefan chucked slightly as he released her hand.

"Let's go and see if Lexie has kept her nose out of mischief," he said, and the two made their way into the Boarding House, both smiling brightly.

* * *

The next day, Damon waited patiently outside of the Grill for the perfect opportunity to put his plan in to motion. He didn't have to wait long before Caroline came in to view, her bright smile darkening to a scowl when he blocked her way.

"Look dungeon boy, I'm done being your little slave girl. You seriously hurt me and I will be damned if you think –" Growing bored of the blonde's anger, Damon quickly made eye contact with her, his pupils dilating as he compelled her. "Oh my god, where have you been?" Caroline asked cheerfully, her whole demeanour completely different to a few moments before. "It's really good to see you." Damon rolled his eyes as the blonde glanced at him from under lowered lashes – as annoying as she may be, Caroline served a purpose.

"Much better. You want to throw a party here at the Grill tonight," he said.

"Well, why don't you do it?" the blonde asked naively.

"Because then Stefan, Scarlett and their BFF won't come. I need a lot of people, big crowd; invite everyone."

"And why am I having this party?" Damon could feel his patience wearing thin as Caroline asked yet another pointless question.

"Because you are going to help me solve this town's little vampire problem," he replied with a smirk. Suddenly, his face turned serious, threatening. "And I want my crystal back."

"Oh, but Bonnie has it." Damon took a deep breath to keep his temper in check before replying.

"I know that," he said slowly. "Get it from her." Caroline smiled widely in agreement and Damon turned and walked back to his car. Now all he had to do was make sure his brother and Lexie went to the Grill that evening, and his problem would be solved.

* * *

Scarlett was lounging in a chair in the parlour talking to Stefan and Lexie as she munched on a bowl of popcorn. Her legs were curled up underneath her as she listened to the two vampires banter back and forth, but she wasn't really paying much attention. Instead, her thoughts drifted to a certain blue eyed man who was fast becoming her own personal nightmare. The vervain around her neck didn't seem to be able to stop her from thinking about him, so Scarlett was forced to admit that maybe Damon wasn't playing with her mind. Maybe she really did like him; and that was a very big problem.

"So, this Elena girl – she'll come around, I'm sure of it. Don't you agree, Scarlett?" The redhead blinked in confusion and glanced at Lexie, quickly becoming aware that the blonde had been talking to her while she had been daydreaming.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, absolutely. What's not to love?" Scarlett replied hurriedly. Stefan threw her a sarcastic smile.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Scarlett," he said, causing Lexie to chuckle.

"Have you had sex yet?" the blonde asked. Scarlett's nose turned up in disgust; talking about her godfather's sex life was not her idea of a good conversation.

"No," Stefan said in reply as he rolled his eyes, before sitting forward on the sofa across from Scarlett.

"Sex always works!" Lexie exclaimed. "I mean, you'll rock her world so hard with your vamp sex she'll be yours forever." Yet again, Scarlett's thoughts drifted to Damon, and she mentally slapped herself at the direction in which her thoughts were taking her. A soft blush rose to her cheeks, and she quickly ducked her head, hoping that Stefan wouldn't notice.

"See, this isn't about sex or compulsion, or any of our other tricks," Stefan explained as Lexie pulled out a red bag which she started to unzip. "She has to want to be with me on her own terms." Finally raising her head, Scarlett saw Lexie grab a blood bag and pierce it with a straw.

"Wow, that sounded all… mature and grown up," she told Stefan teasingly.

"Well I'm not getting any older," he replied, causing Scarlett to roll her eyes.

"Because one hundred and sixty two is so very young," she said sarcastically, sharing a grin with Lexie. The blonde vampire took a long sip from the blood bag and sighed in contentment. Scarlett felt a strong surge of tension, and her dark blue eyes flicked to Stefan who was staring at Lexie with a blank expression on his face. The blonde noticed and held the blood bag out to her friend.

"Want some?" she asked with a small smile.

"No," Stefan said sharply as he stood and moved a couple of feet away from the two girls. "Thank you."

"Relax, I didn't kill anyone for it," Lexie said calmly. "This phlebotomist I went out with a few times, he's my supplier." Scarlett didn't say anything. She knew that she had no right to comment on Lexie's eating habits, and besides it didn't bother her as much as it bothered Stefan. Then again, perhaps it should have bothered her… The redhead shook her head slightly and refocused on the conversation. "Oh don't judge," Lexie moaned as she put down the blood bag and looked up at Stefan, who was standing with his arms crossed across his chest, his eyes fixed on the floor. "Listen, I tried the animal diet; lasted three weeks."

"It doesn't matter," Stefan replied, a small frown marring his brow. "Cos, if I started again, I just don't know if –"

"You could stop," Lexie finished for him. Scarlett could feel the turmoil coursing through Stefan, and instead of blocking off her mind she reached out, trying to ease the worry from her godfather's mind. Although his frown didn't lessen, Scarlett saw the tenseness in his shoulders disappear and he glanced at her with a curious smile. Lexie shifted uncomfortably in her chair, looking anywhere but at her best friend.

"Lexie, I would never judge you," Stefan said reassuringly. Lexie shrugged one shoulder.

"I'm just jealous of your restraint – I have none!" she joked, and Stefan and Scarlett both smiled at her. "I delight in hedonism. Speaking of which, what are we doing tonight?" she asked, gesturing to the three of them. Scarlett was about to reply when the sound of footsteps stopped her, and she turned her head to see Damon stood in the doorway.

"Funny you should ask," he said as he ambled into the room, his gaze lingering on Scarlett who tensed under is scrutiny. Lexie noticed the redhead's reaction and turned a menacing glare on Damon.

"Well I wasn't asking you," she said harshly. Damon ignored her comment, standing behind Scarlett and leaning on the back of her seat so that his face was inches away from the top of her head. He could hear her heart pounding in her chest, causing her blood to rush through her veins and her already intoxicating scent intensified until all he wanted to do was sink his fangs into the creamy flesh of her neck… But he had more important matters to deal with at the moment, so slaking his lust would just have to wait.

"There's a party at the Grill; you'll love it," he said, gesturing to Lexie. "Banquettes, tacky wait staff, all of Stefan and Scarlett's friends." He slowly ran a finger along Scarlett's shoulder, smirking as Stefan and Lexie both tensed, preparing to attack him. The redhead, however, had other plans and calmly stood up and moved across to the sofa where Stefan had been sitting earlier, her blue eyes glaring furiously into Damon's as she sat down. Damon stood straight, acting as though nothing had happened as he moved to stand beside Lexie who continued to glare at him.

"Yeah, I don't want a birthday party," Stefan said as he took a couple of steps closer to Scarlett. Damon almost laughed at how ridiculous the idea of his brother protecting Scarlett was.

"Well it's not for you; it's a party party, no one's going to know it's your birthday. Caroline's throwing it." Scarlett's eyes flashed dangerously at Damon's mention of her friend.

"Damon, stay away from Caroline," she said tightly. Damon's gaze flew to Scarlett and his smirk widened.

"We're friends, it's cool," he said with a shrug.

"You don't have any friends," Scarlett replied quickly, causing Lexie to let out a snort of laughter. Damon placed a hand over his heart, mocking hurt, but Scarlett just glared at the gesture. "You don't have a heart either, so that move doesn't work."

"Kitty got claws, and here I thought we were getting on so well, Scar," Damon said quietly, his eyes boring into hers. "But I digress… It's important for the town to see us out and about like normal folk," he said, his gaze moving to his brother who was glancing between him and Scarlett, his brows furrowed in confusion. "We need to blend," he finished seriously. Lowering his eyes, he saw Lexie's stash of blood bags lying on the table and groaned in distaste. "Eugh, I prefer mine at ninety eight point six, and preferably from the vein of a sexy redhead," he said as turned to walk away, throwing a wink over his shoulder at Scarlett.

Scarlett, Lexie and Stefan remained silent until the sound of Damon's footsteps receded, before both vampires turned to the only human in the room, their eyes both confused and concerned. Stefan was about to speak when Lexie raised a hand.

"We will talk about this later," she said quietly as she gazed at Scarlett, and the redhead inclined her head silently. Lexie nodded her head once before turning to Stefan with a smile. "Let's go," she said to Stefan, causing him to roll his eyes. "Please?" Stefan shook his head and sighed, knowing he was defeated. Lexie grinned and clapped her hands excitedly as she jumped up from her seat. "Perfect! Scarlett, go and get ready. I will leave something incredibly sexy for you to wear on your bed." The redhead frowned slightly as she stood up.

"Why do I have to look sexy?" she asked curiously. Lexie smirked devilishly and pulled the redhead to her side for a quick hug.

"Because I want to test a theory, and you are going to be my willing guinea-pig." Scarlett rolled her eyes before traipsing up the stairs to her bedroom. She had a quick shower, then wrapped herself in a towel and walked out of her bathroom to see that Lexie had already been and gone. On her bed was a pair of black leather shorts and a long sleeved cream chiffon blouse that was practically see-through. Next to them was a note written in Lexie's familiar scrawl: _I hope you have decent black underwear! x _

Scarlett had never worn anything that daring in her life, and to say she was nervous was an understatement. She slowly started to get ready, putting on her best black lace bra and underwear set, before slipping on the shorts and blouse. She carefully applied her makeup, with bold sweeps of liquid eyeliner and lashings of mascara to make sure that her already bright eyes popped. She left her hair to wave naturally down her back, and completed the look with a pair of black heels. When she looked in the mirror, her nerves heightened to an incredible level. There was no way she could leave the house dressed like this!

"Knock, knock," Lexie said as she opened the door to Scarlett's room. Her eyes widened when she saw the redhead nervously twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. "You look amazing," the vampire gushed as Scarlett turned away from the mirror, catching her bottom lip between her teeth and chewing uncertainly.

"You think so?" she asked softly, her voice hesitant. Lexie grinned as she moved further into the room and took Scarlett's hands in her own.

"You are going to have every guy there eating out of the palm of your hand by the end of the night," she said confidently, causing Scarlett to smile slightly. "Stefan said he'd meet us there; something about going to see Elena," Lexie said flippantly.

"Oh, okay. Shall we go, then?" Scarlett asked as she picked up a small bag and put her phone and lip balm inside.

"We'll take my car," Lexie said as the pair walked through the house, the sound of their heels echoing through the empty hallways. When they got outside, Scarlett gasped when she saw the car in question.

"You have a Corvette?" she breathed disbelievingly. Lexie grinned brightly.

"Yep, bought it when it was still new, and if you're lucky I might give it to you for your twenty first." Scarlett squealed with excitement and hopped into the passenger seat of the dark blue car. The drive to the Grill took a lot less time than usual, mainly due to the fact that Lexie broke every speeding restriction there was, and soon they were parking across the road and making their way inside.

* * *

Damon was already sat at the bar nursing a glass of bourbon. His eyes roamed the room, searching for a flash of red hair, but all he saw was Caroline making her way towards him, a seductive smile stretching her lips. He sighed disappointedly, and turned back to the bar.

"Amazing party, right?" he heard Caroline ask. Damon glanced over his shoulder to see the blonde grinning at him.

"Glad you thought of it," he replied with a sarcastic grin of his own. Caroline hesitated, seemingly confused by his reaction, before questioning him again.

"Are you having a good time?"

"Do you have my crystal?" Damon answered her question with one of his own.

"No."

"Is Scarlett here yet?" Caroline frowned at this.

"No…" The smile dropped from Damon's face.

"Then I'm not having a good time," he deadpanned, before turning to search the room again. As he glanced at the door, his breath caught in his throat and he was pretty sure his dead heart started beating again. Scarlett had just walked in behind Lexie, the two of them laughing at something. Damon's eyes scanned over Scarlett, and he felt his mouth dry when he caught sight of her outfit-what there was of it. He immediately stood up, brushing past Caroline, and made his way through the crowd towards Scarlett. As he approached, he tilted his lips into his trademark half smirk.

Scarlett glanced away from Lexie, a wide smile curving her mouth, and came face to face with Damon. As she met his light blue eyes, she felt a rush of emotion course through her making a hot blush rise in her cheeks. The emotion was lust. The problem was, she wasn't sure if the emotion was coming from Damon or from herself.

"You continue to surprise me, Scar," the dark haired vampire murmured as he took her hand and raised it to his lips, brushing a gently kiss against her knuckles. Scarlett's heart went into overdrive, and she quickly tore her hand away from Damon's, well aware that Lexie was watching their every move with a critical eye. Something flashed in Damon's eyes – hurt? – before he turned to Lexie with a charming smile. "Where's my brother?" Lexie dragged her gaze away from Scarlett to look at Damon.

"He said he'd meet us here," she explained casually as she started to push Scarlett away from the eldest Salvatore.

"Buy you ladies a…" Damon trailed off as Scarlett and Lexie moved further into the room, neither one turning back. His eyes followed Scarlett and he scowled as he saw how many other guys were watching her with the same, predatory look that he was. If he wasn't so focused on getting the town to stop worrying about vampires, he'd have broken the neck of every person who so much as glanced at Scarlett. As it was, all he could do was glare as several guys walked up to her and Lexie and offered to buy them drinks. Growling in frustration, Damon went in search of Caroline.

Meanwhile, Lexie quickly got rid of the crown of guys surrounding her and Scarlett before turning to the redhead with a grin.

"What was that?" she asked curiously, startling Scarlett from her thoughts.

"What was what?" Scarlett responded innocently, crossing her arms across her chest in an attempt to cover herself from the heated stares she could feel.

"That thing with Damon – what's going on with you two?" Scarlett's stomach churned with nerves, and she looked anywhere but at the blonde vampire in front of her. Lexie's eyes narrowed and she grabbed Scarlett's wrist, pulling her to a free table and sitting down beside her. "Scarlett, listen to me. You can tell me anything, I'm not going to judge you." Scarlett could feel the sincerity rolling off of Lexie in waves, and she slowly raised her eyes to meet the vampire's concerned gaze.

"I don't know," she said softly. Lexie looked confused, so Scarlett continued. "I don't know what's going on with Damon; I don't know how I feel about him. I know how I _should _feel, but for some reason… I can't hate him, Lexie." Scarlett trailed off into silence, her eyes full of conflicting emotions. Lexie smiled sadly at her friend; she may not have Scarlett's empathic abilities, but it didn't take a genius to work out what was going on.

"You like him, don't you?" Scarlett suddenly looked frightened, and she grasped hold of Lexie's hands in a surprisingly tight grip.

"Don't tell Stefan, please – he wouldn't understand," the redhead begged. "I don't even know if I do like Damon. I'm so confused…" Lexie gently hushed her friend and squeezed her hands slightly.

"I won't tell Stefan, but you have to be careful, Scarlett." The redhead tilted her head slightly in confusion. "I've known Damon for a long time, and I know what he's capable of. Just promise me you'll be careful – I don't want you to get hurt," Lexie finished, releasing one of Scarlett's hands to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. Scarlett nodded slightly, before smiling hesitantly at the vampire.

"Thank you, Lexie," she said quietly. Lexie winked at her conspiratorially before glancing over Scarlett's shoulder to see Stefan standing at the entrance looking for them.

"Time to get this party started," the blonde said, and she quickly dragged Scarlett towards Stefan.

"You're here!" Scarlett said excitedly, all trace of her serious conversation with Lexie hidden behind a wide smile. Stefan chuckled at his goddaughter's enthusiasm.

"Well, Lexie would probably snap my neck if I didn't show," he said teasingly, and the blonde nodded vigorously in agreement.

"Damn straight, I would. But since you're here, the only torture I'll inflict on you is making you dance," she replied as she began to drag him to the dance floor. Stefan protested, but when Scarlett started pulling him as well, he knew he had no choice. The three of them made their way to the middle of the group of dancers and Lexie and Scarlett started moving to the music. Stefan, however, simply bopped his head slightly. "Okay, we're gonna need a little more foot movement," she said, twirling Scarlett under her arm.

"Yeah, I'm not really interested in making a fool of myself," he said as he glanced around the room.

"Come on, you can't be that bad," Scarlett teased." "After all, you've had over a century to practice," she whispered, knowing that only Lexie and Stefan would be able to hear her over the loud music. Lexie laughed brightly at her comment while Stefan let out an involuntary chuckle.

"Do me a favour, tell me if you see Damon with his camera phone," Stefan said with a smile.

"Oh, I don't think Damon will be paying you any attention tonight, birthday boy!" Lexie said, throwing a subtle grin at Scarlett who blushed slightly.

"Stefan, you better start dancing, or you're not getting any cake," Scarlett said quickly, moving the conversation away from the eldest Salvatore. Stefan stared at her.

"You can't say that!" he exclaimed, pretending to be shocked.

"I made the cake, I can say it if I want to. Now dance!" Stefan laughed loudly, and the three friends moved further into the crowd of people, dancing the night away.

After a while, Scarlett complained that her feet were starting to hurt, so the three of them left the dance floor and found an unoccupied pool table. Scarlett immediately kicked off her heels, and challenged her godfather to a game. She couldn't stop smiling – the happiness she felt radiating from Stefan and Lexie was heightening her own emotions and that, mixed with the cocktail Lexie had snuck her, was making her feel absolutely giddy.

A shiver ran down her spine, and Scarlett turned away from the pool table to find Damon staring at her with an intensity that she couldn't begin to understand. Feeling braver than usual, she sent him a cheeky wink and was rewarded by him pretending to stumble in surprise. Laughing, Scarlett turned back and leant over to take her shot. She didn't need to look to know that Damon was still watching her. They continued playing until Lexie decided she wanted another drink, dragging Scarlett over to the bar with her.

"Three shots of tequila," Lexie told the bartender as Scarlett leant her back against the bar, her gaze wandering over the room. She caught sight of Elena standing by herself and nudged Lexie gently before pointing out the brunette to the vampire. Lexie sighed and turned back to the bar. "Better make that four," she said calmly. The bartender hesitated.

"I'm gonna need to see some ID from you and your friend," he said. Scarlett turned to the bar just as Lexie caught the man's eye and began to compel him.

"No you don't," she said, not breaking eye contact for even a second. Scarlett glanced around nervously to make sure no one was paying attention.

"That'll be uh –"

"Free," Lexie chimed in quickly. The bartender smiled at her and Scarlett.

"On the house," he finished as he poured the shots.

"Thanks!" Lexie said as she picked up two of the glasses.

"Oh, and this is my number," the bartender said as he pushed a napkin across the bar towards Scarlett. The redhead's eyes widened and she started to mumble an excuse, but Lexie quickly cut her off.

"She's taken, but thanks for the drinks." Scarlett quickly picked up the other two drinks and followed Lexie towards the place where they had seen Elena. She was stood at a table, slowly sipping from a drink.

"You made it," Scarlett said as she put down the shots and pulled her friend into a tight hug, before pulling back and gesturing to Lexie. "Elena, this is-"

"Towel girl," the brunette finished, gazing warily at the blonde vampire. Lexie just smiled in response.

"I've been called worse," she said lightly. Scarlett grinned slightly.

"I think I've probably called you worse," she said, making Lexie laugh cheerfully. The vampire handed Elena a shot before moving to stand next to the table.

"I didn't know that you guys could drink," Elena said, her brow furrowed with confusion.

"Oh yeah, it helps curb the cravings," Lexie explained.

"But it makes for a lot of lushy vamps," Scarlett said with a smirk. The vampire raised a shot to Scarlett in a toast before knocking it back.

"You know, I've never seen Stefan drunk," Elena said as she twirled the straw in her glass between her fingers. "He always seems so…"

"Uptight?" Scarlett and Lexie said at the same time. They looked at each other for a second before laughing, and after a moment, Elena joined in.

"Yeah," Elena said when they'd finally calmed down. "But not with you two."

"Well, that's the benefit of knowing someone either for over a hundred years or from birth - you can just be yourself," Lexie replied.

"Yeah, he can't be himself with me," Elena murmured sadly.

"Not yet," Scarlett said quickly. "The first step was him telling you." Lexie nodded in agreement.

"Scarlett's right; the rest comes with time." Elena gazed at them both hesitantly.

"You both seem so sure," she finally said.

"Well, I don't know what Lexie's excuse is, but I know how Stefan feel's about you, and I know how you feel about him, and you can trust me when I say it's nothing but good feelings," Scarlett said as she reached out and rubbed Elena's arm soothingly. The brunette smiled warmly at her best friend.

"I guess being an empath comes in handy," she said. Scarlett's smile when it came was sad.

"Sometimes," she replied softly. Sensing Scarlett's discomfort, Lexie quickly brought Elena's attention back to her.

"The love of my life was human," she said carefully, surprising both Elena and Scarlett. "He went through what I imagine you're going through; denial, anger etcetera. But at the end of the day, love really did conquer all," she finished, but her eyes weren't on Elena. They were focused on Scarlett. The redhead ducked her head slightly, using her hair to cover the blush that was rising to her face. "Are you gonna drink that?" Lexie asked as she pointed to Elena's shot. The brunette quickly handed it over and Lexie smiled as she quickly drank it.

"I'm scared," Elena said quietly.

"But you're here… Cos you're crazy about him, I get it, okay? I mean; what's not to love?" Lexie said, quoting Scarlett's earlier comment and making the redhead smile. "Listen, both of you. Take it from someone who's been around a long time; when it's real, you can't walk away." That said, the vampire did another shot before pushing the final one at Scarlett. "You have to drink one, I feel bad for that guy who tried to give you his number." Scarlett chuckled slightly before raising the glass to her lips and pouring it into her mouth, flinching slightly as it burned its way down her throat.

"Stefan is so gonna kick your ass for making me drink," she said and Elena laughed brightly as Lexie stuck her tongue out at the redhead.

"He can try," she said cheekily. "Speaking of, let's get back to the birthday boy." Scarlett waved slightly at Elena and was about to walk away when the brunette called Lexie back.

"Hey Lexie, it was really nice meeting you." The blonde smiled before taking Scarlett's hand and leading her back to the pool table where Stefan was playing by himself.

"Yep, I drank yours, and Scarlett had one. Sorry." Stefan was silent for a few moments, smiling at his two best friends.

"Thank you," he said quietly. Lexie rolled her eyes slightly.

"You weren't supposed to be listening." When Stefan didn't stop staring at her, she grinned slightly. "I was feeling epic, whatever."

"And I did say that I would talk to Elena…" Stefan wrapped an arm around Scarlett's waist and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"Best goddaughter ever," he whispered in her ear. Scarlett grinned widely as she pulled the pool cue from Stefan's hands.

"Not when I beat you," she teased, and she and Lexie continued playing, leaving Stefan to stare across the bar at Elena.

* * *

A little while later, Scarlett left Lexie and Stefan at the pool table; she had the strangest feeling that she should go to the bar. When she got there, she found Damon sitting by himself with yet another glass of bourbon. Taking a deep breath, she walked up to him and took the seat beside him.

"I didn't think it was possible for vampires to drink themselves to death, but you seem to be giving it a very good try," she said quietly. Damon turned to face, his ice blue eyes trailing down her body before returning to smirk into her own sapphire orbs.

"Surely me drinking is preferable to me ripping off the head of every guy in this bar," he said lazily. Scarlett frowned slightly in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" she asked. Damon rested his arm along the back of her seat and leaned closer to her, until he could feel her breath ghosting across his lips.

"I'm talking about the fact that every guy in here keeps looking at you like you're a meal," he murmured, his eyes never leaving hers. He saw hurt flash through her eyes for a second before they hardened.

"I take it you don't approve of my new look," she said frostily as she reached for his glass, her fingertips brushing against his as she raised it to her lips and took a sip.

"Do you need me to approve of it?" he asked, tilting his head curiously. Scarlett snorted derisively as she returned his glass to the abr.

"Of course not," she said quickly. Damon didn't get a chance to reply, as Lexie walked up to the pair and placed two shots in front of him before standing next to Scarlett so that she was sandwiched between the two vampires.

"Alright, the shots are a bribe," Lexie said quickly, her sharp eyes taking in the fact that Damon had his arm around Scarlett and was gazing intently at her. "I need you to answer a question." Damon turned away from Scarlett to glance at the shots, before looking up and Lexie with a smirk. "What are you really doing in Mystic Falls, besides stalking Scarlett?" Said redhead tensed slightly at the mention of her name but remained silent.

"Have you tried the brittle?" Damon asked, ignoring Lexie's question. "It wins awards."

"Cut the crap," Lexie replied, levelling a hard glare on the dark haired vampire. Damon downed a shot and cast a quick glance in Scarlett's direction, but she had her gaze focused firmly on the bar.

"Okay… I have a diabolical master plan," Damon told the blonde, who nodded slowly.

"What is it?"

"Well if I told you it wouldn't be very diabolical now, would it?" Scarlett finally turned to look at Damon, and he frowned when he saw the firm set of her jaw.

"I hope your plan doesn't involve hurting any of the people I care about," she said quietly, her dark eyes boring into his. Damon smirked as he gazed down at her.

"And if it does?" Scarlett was about to reply when she felt a presence over her shoulder. Turning, she saw Sheriff Forbes stab a needle into Lexie's arm and inject her with something. The blonde immediately gasped for her, her eyes meeting Scarlett's. "What are you doing?" Damon asked from behind her, his voice sounding shocked. Scarlett couldn't speak, couldn't think. All she could do was look on in horror as two deputies hurried Lexie out of the building.

"Thank you for the vervain," Sheriff Forbes told Damon. "Now if you'll excuse me…" Scarlett spun around to face Damon, her eyes blazing with barely contained fury.

"What have you done?" she hissed.

"Calm down, Scarlett," the vampire said quietly, reaching forward to grasp the redhead's arms, but she snatched herself away from him, her entire body tense as she tried to hold herself back from attacking him.

"What have you done, Damon?" Scarlett asked again, her voice louder than before and shaking. Damon stared into her eyes, his own gaze hardening. He had to be hard on her. He was in Mystic Falls for one reason only, and now was the perfect opportunity to make sure Scarlett Williams was no longer a distraction for him.

"I did what needed to be done, Scarlett," he said, practically spitting the words at her. Scarlett breathed in harshly as she saw the cruelty in his eyes, and before he could stop her she turned and fled, making her way towards the back exit of the Grill. Stefan and Elena quickly caught her up and the three of them ran outside, following the sound of gunshots to the street. As they approached the corner of the building, Stefan pulled Scarlett and Elena back, hiding them from view. Scarlett pressed herself against the wall and peered around the corner just in time to watch Damon thrust a stake into Lexie's heart.

Scarlett's head exploded. Rage, betrayal, sadness, hatred, fear; they all warred inside her, a tidal wave of emotion threatening to drown her. And then it stopped. Opening her eyes, Scarlett found that she was still leaning against the wall and now all she could see was Damon standing over Lexie's dead body. She felt a hand grip her own and knew instinctively that it was Stefan. Turning away from the sight of Damon loading the body of her friend into the back of a police car, Scarlett slowly slid down the wall as tears poured silently from her eyes.

Elena crouched in front of her friend, resting her hands on Scarlett's knees to try and offer some comfort, but when Scarlett raised her watery blue eyes to Elena's, the brunette gasped at the bleakness she saw in them. She looked up at Stefan, who was still staring at the spot where his brother had murdered his best friend.

"Stefan, Scarlett needs you," Elena whispered. Dragging his gaze away from the street, Stefan glanced down at his goddaughter. She looked… broken. Realisation suddenly dawned on him, and he knelt beside her, cupping her face in his hands so that he could gaze into her empty eyes.

"You felt it, didn't you?" he asked gently. After a moment, Scarlett gave him the briefest of nods, before closing her eyes as a fresh wave of tears cascaded down her cheeks.

"What do you mean? What did she feel?" Elena asked, her voice tinged with confusion.

"Death. She felt Lexie's death." Elena gasped in horror, one hand flying to her mouth as she stared at Scarlett with wide eyes. Stefan shook Scarlett gently to get her to open her eyes.

"We need to go," he told her softly. "Can you stand?" Scarlett gritted her teeth and started to rise, holding onto Stefan for support. Wrapping an arm around her, he tried to hurry her away, but Scarlett stopped moving. "Scarlett, we have to leave now."

"Lexie's car," the redhead whispered. Her voice sounded strange to her ears, and even Stefan had to lean closer to hear her properly.

"What about it?" he asked quickly – he needed to get home. He needed to find Damon.

"It's here. I should take it home," Stefan was about to argue, but Elena gripped his arm and when he looked at her, she shook her head.

"Are you sure you're okay to drive?" the brunette asked. Scarlett nodded slightly before slowly walking away from the couple. She paid no attention to where she was going, not acknowledging people who called to her in the street. Before she knew it, she was stood beside Lexie's dark blue Corvette, her hand fumbling in her bag for the keys that her blonde friend had entrusted to her at the start of the evening. Opening the door, Scarlett slid into the driver's seat and looked around. Two empty blood bags lay in the foot well on the passenger side, and a small dream catcher hung from the rear view mirror. Scarlett gently touched the feathers as a final tear slipped down her cheek.

The drive back to the Boarding house was slow and silent; Scarlett had no desire to get there too quickly. When she pulled into the drive and switched off the engine, Scarlett sat in the car for a few moments more, trying to get her head on straight. She knew that Damon would be inside. She knew that she'd have to face him sooner or later. But after the swell of emotion that came with Lexie's death, Scarlett didn't think she could handle anything else that evening.

Clambering out of the car, she slowly walked into the house, listening carefully for any signs of movement. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, Stefan came into view, a dark scowl on his face. He didn't say anything to her, just kissed her forehead and continued on his way towards the kitchen. Scarlett trudged up the stairs and along the corridor to her bedroom. As she was passing the stairs that led to Stefan's room, she heard a groan. She turned just as Damon stumbled into view, his shirt ripped and covered with blood. Looking up, he caught sight of Scarlett's face and his resolve to stay away from her crumbled.

"Scar," he murmured as he took a step towards him, but she cringed away from him, raising a hand as though to force him back. Damon looked into her eyes and felt his blood run cold at the emptiness he saw in her dark blue orbs.

"I don't want to talk to you, Damon," she said as she began to move around him.

"Please, Scar," he said as he took another step towards her, reaching out a blood covered hand, but once again she stepped away from him.

"I don't want to hear it!" she cried, her eyes finally filling with emotion. Damon almost didn't care that she was angry, or that she was shouting. Anything was better than the vacant expression she had had only moments ago. "I don't want to listen to your lies or your excuses. I don't want you to tell me how you justified murdering my friend. I just want to have one night were I don't have to deal with the fallout from your stupidity!" Scarlett watched as Damon stood there, his face an uncaring mask. "Do you have any idea what you put me through tonight?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Damon was silent. He couldn't let her know that he cared; couldn't let her see how much she was beginning to mean to him. He had not come back home to fall for his brother's teenaged empath of a goddaughter. He didn't look at her as he started to walk down the hall to his bedroom. As he reached out a hand for the door knob, his sensitive hearing caught a sentence which he prayed he'd never have to hear again.

"I felt her die." Damon's hand gripped the door knob so hard he was surprised it didn't break. He turned to face her, saw the tears pooling in her deep blue eyes and very nearly forgot his plan. "Everything she felt while you were driving a stake into her heart; I felt it too." Scarlett didn't say another word. Instead she turned away from the anguished look in Damon's eyes and walked into her bedroom, locking the door behind her.

In the bathroom she stripped off the clothes Lexie had given her, and looked into the mirror. Black streaks of makeup ran down her face. If Lexie had been there, she'd have made some stupid comment about Scarlett looking like a nightmare bride. The thought brought a tiny smile to Scarlett's lips, and she quickly washed her face with warm water before changing into her pyjamas. Dragging herself to her bed, she crawled under the covers; pulling them tightly around herself to stave off the shivers she could feel starting. Scarlett closed her eyes, more than ready for sleep, but the image of Lexie's grey veined face staring at her from the darkness made sleep a wish rather than a reality. Apparently, it was going to be another long night…

* * *

**First off, I am so unbelievably sorry that this has taken me so long to update. All I can say is that life has thrown me a particularly horrid curve ball; I won't bore you with the details, but I've been dealing with a lot of crap for the past couple of months and haven't found the time or inclination to sit down and write. However, hopefully that will all be behind me now, and I'll be able to update with a bit more frequency.**

**Onto happier topics, what did you think? I found this chapter quite challenging, especially fitting Scarlett/Damon scenes in, but hopefully I did alright. Sorry for any grammar/spelling mistakes - I wanted to publish this ASAP so I didn't edit it. Let me know what you think, and hopefully I'll have a new chapter for you before the end of the month.**

**Finally, thank you for all of your comments, favourites and follows. You have no idea how much they mean to me, and I'm glad you all are enjoying reading this story as much as I am enjoying writing it! **

**Love to you all x**

**PS:- there's going to be a little bit of a surprise in the next chapter. I wonder if any of you have been picking up on the clues I've left so far... ;)**


	9. History Repeating

**A/N: Since you waited so long for the last update, I thought I'd treat you to an early one this time around. It's a rather long (and jumpy) chapter so feel free to have a break in the middle - I know I did!**

**Disclaimer: The only thing that belongs to me is the lovely Scarlett Williams. **

* * *

Scarlett gave up on getting any sleep that night when she saw that her clock read five in the morning. Slipping out of bed, she slowly ambled down the stairs to the front parlour; there was only one thing she wanted to do at that moment. She moved towards the piano in the corner and perched on the edge of the stool, her fingers running gently over the slightly dusty keys.

Taking a deep breath, Scarlett closed her eyes and started to play, her long fingers instinctively finding the right keys. Scarlett lost herself in the music, slowly letting down the barriers around her mind completely. It seemed like forever since she'd had this much freedom. After the shock and heartache of Lexie's death, all she wanted was a few minutes to herself, to try and find some balance.

Somehow, while she was playing, Scarlett's thoughts drifted towards a certain dark haired vampire. It seemed to be inevitable these days that whenever she had a few moments to herself, thoughts of Damon would infiltrate her mind. It was time that she finally admitted something to herself; she had feelings for Damon, and those feelings did not include hatred. She should hate him. After all of the pain he'd caused her in just a few short weeks, she should want to stake him while he slept, but even after everything he'd done, Scarlett simply couldn't hate him. As the final notes echoed through the room, she let out a heavy sigh.

"What have you gotten yourself into this time, Scarlett," she said to herself, her voice barely breaking the silence.

"I didn't know you played." Scarlett let out a shocked gasp as she quickly spun around to face the subject of her thoughts. Damon was leaning casually against the door frame, his arms crossed over his chest - his very naked chest. Scarlett's eyes widened and her pulse increased as she gazed at his pale muscles.

"I thought you were sleeping," she said quickly. Damon smirked slightly as he pushed away from the door and strolled towards the liquor cabinet. Scarlett raised one eyebrow. "Isn't it a bit early for that?" Damon quickly poured himself a glass of bourbon before making his way towards the redhead and taking a seat next to her on the piano stool.

"It's never too early," he murmured as he took a sip of the amber liquid. "You're good," he said, gesturing towards the piano with his glass. Scarlett's eyes narrowed and she turned to look at him, her dark eyes catching his.

"Why are you being nice to me?" she asked, her voice full of scepticism. Damon tilted his head slightly as his gaze trailed over her face before stopping on her full, pink lips.

"Do I need a reason to be nice to you?" he asked softly, his breath warm against Scarlett's skin. She glanced down, suddenly nervous in his presence.

"You're only nice to me when you want something," Scarlett replied quietly before catching her bottom lip between her teeth. Damon raised a hand and gently cupped Scarlett's cheek, causing a faint blush to rise in her skin. This close, it took all his self-control not to lean forward and have a taste of the blood running through her veins. He imagined it would taste like heaven.

"I wanted to apologise to you," he murmured. Scarlett's eyes widened as they shot to his, and he gave her a small half smile. "Shocking, I know."

"What for?" she asked. Damon hesitated before he replied; what did he want to apologise for? Better question, why was he apologising in the first place. He had never apologised to anyone before, certainly not since he was turned, so what was it about this girl that made him want to say sorry?

"For last night," he finally answered. Scarlett's eyes hardened and she turned her face away from him, forcing Damon to drop his hand – it felt surprisingly cold.

"Which part?"

"You ask a lot of questions, don't you?" he teased. Instead of smiling, Scarlett turned a frosty glare on him.

"I think that one is merited." Damon took a deep breath before responding.

"For hurting you," he said quietly. Scarlett's sea blue eyes softened slightly as he explained. "If I'd known that you would have felt everything –"

"Are you saying you wouldn't have killed Lexie?" Damon hesitated again.

"No." Scarlett nodded slowly, her eyes searching his and finding the truth of his statement in their pale blue depths.

"Thank you for your honesty," she said quietly. Damon reached up to brush a lock of her curling auburn hair over her shoulder before resting his hand against her neck; he could feel her pulse beating steadily against the palm of his hand. He looked at her face and saw that she was once again biting her bottom lip. Her mouth was curved in a soft smile and her eyes were full of warmth and honesty. Seeing her like that, bathed in the warm glow from the morning sun, Damon wanted nothing more than to kiss her. He knew he shouldn't; he had a plan and he should stick to it. But Scarlett intoxicated him, and even if it was just once, he wanted to know what it would feel like to kiss her.

He slowly leant forward, his own eyes closing and touched his lips to hers. Scarlett couldn't breathe as her eyelids fluttered shut; her heart was pounding madly in her chest as she felt Damon's soft lips against her own. There was nothing rushed or demanding about it, and yet she knew that this one simple action would change everything. Cautiously, Scarlett kissed him back, her lips parting when she felt his tongue seeking entrance to her mouth. Damon slowly explored Scarlett's mouth, one hand resting against her jaw while the other ran up her arm, pulling her closer to him and sending shivers down her spine.

All too soon Scarlett pulled away and took a long, shuddering breath before opening her eyes to meet Damon's gaze. He was staring at her, searching her eyes for any sign that she regretted what had just happened. One corner of Scarlett's mouth raised in a half smile as she pulled away from the dark haired vampire, and Damon let his arms drop limply to his sides.

"I have to get ready for school," she said into the silence. Damon didn't say a word; he stayed frozen in place as Scarlett stood up and turned to walk away. On impulse, she turned back and placed a gentle kiss on Damon's cheek before hurrying from the room without looking back. Damon downed his bourbon and ran a hand through his dark, messy hair wondering whether or not he had just made a huge mistake.

* * *

By the time Scarlett had showered, dressed in jeans and a purple button down blouse and driven in to town, she was running quite late for school. She quickly parked her black 4x4, grabbed her bag from the passenger seat and jogged towards her first class – history. There were still a few students hanging around, so Scarlett slowed her pace as she approached the classroom. When she arrived, she glanced around the room before slipping into the empty seat next to Elena. The brunette gave her friend a smile as she leaned across the aisle.

"Where's Stefan?" she asked quietly. Scarlett shook her head in response.

"No idea, I haven't seen him this morning," she replied just as quietly. They both looked up as Bonnie hurried into the room, and Scarlett frowned when she saw the tense look on her friend's face. She didn't have a chance to question the witch however, as just at that moment a tall, sandy haired man strolled into the classroom and walked towards the teacher's desk.

"Good morning everyone," he said brightly, before turning to the blackboard. Scarlett turned in her seat to look at Bonnie.

"Are you okay?" she mouthed when the witch glanced in her direction. The only response she received was a quick shrug. Scarlett looked back to the front of the classroom just as the new teacher turned to face them. Their eyes met, and Scarlett watched as the man's eyes widened in shock. Scarlett shifted nervously in her seat as he continued to stare at her for a few moments, before shaking his head and smiling at the rest of the class.

"Alaric Saltzman. It's a mouthful, I know; doesn't exactly roll of the tongue," he said self-deprecatingly. "Saltzman is of German origins. My family emigrated here in seventeen fifty five to Texas. I however was born and raised in Boston." His eyes flickered towards Scarlett, causing her to frown. Why on earth did he seem so interested in her? "Now the name Alaric belongs to a very dead great grandfather I'll never be able to thank enough. You'll probably wanna pronounce it Al-aric, but it's A-laric, okay? So you can call me Ric. I'm you're new history teacher."

* * *

"Rise and shine!" Damon said brightly as he strolled into Stefan's room. He had to get his mind off of Scarlett and the kiss they had shared, and Damon knew that annoying his little brother was a sure way to do that, if only for a few minutes. He watched as Stefan shot up in bed and smirked to himself; this was going to be too easy. "You'll be late for school – Scar's already left." So much for getting her off his mind…

"What are you doing?" Stefan asked, his brows pulling into his usual frown. Damon held out one of the mugs of coffee he was holding.

"Peace offering." Stefan climbed out of bed and moved to leave the room, but Damon sped towards him and blocked his way with an arm. "Come on you need it for blood circulation. Does dead flesh good." Stefan didn't say a word, just stared ambivalently at his brother. Damon sighed and lowered the mug. "Alright, I'm sorry."

"Step aside, please," Stefan asked as he finally managed to walk past Damon and into his bathroom.

"I got the town off our back, it was for the greater good, but I'm sorry," Damon said loudly, making sure that his brother could still hear him. He walked further into the room and placed the mug of coffee on a table. "And to prove it, I'm not gonna feed on a human… for at least a… week." Damon's nose turned up in disgust at the thought and he took a quick sip of his own coffee. "I'll adopt a Stefan diet, only nothing with feathers. Maybe Scarlett can get me some little bunny rabbits…" Stefan walked slowly back into the room.

"Cos I realise that killing you closest and oldest friend and making your goddaughter cry herself to sleep is beyond evil and yet, somehow, it's worthy or humour," Stefan said sarcastically before slipping on a shirt. Damon frowned at his brother's comment, internally cringing at the idea of Scarlett crying.

"Are you mimicking me?" he asked. Stefan turned to face him as he started to do up the buttons on his shirt.

"Yes Stefan, now that the secret society of vampire haters is off our back I can go back to my routine of, 'How can I destroy Stefan's life this week?'" he said as he walked towards his brother.

"And I can go back to sulking and Elena longing and Scarlett worrying and forehead brooding," Damon replied as he turned to lean against a table, playing Stefan at his own game. He smiled as he glanced at his brother. "This is fun, I like this."

"And I will finally reveal the motive behind my evil and diabolical return to Mystic Falls," Stefan said as he turned to Damon and fixed him with a penetrating stare. The eldest Salvatore looked away as though he were considering Stefan's proposal before standing straight.

"Yeah, I'm done," he said as he walked away. He took a few steps before turning back and lowering his voice in a poor imitation of his brother. "That's just like you, Damon. Always have to have the last word," he said as he backed out of the room thinking that is was probably a good thing Stefan didn't know about the kiss. Damon didn't particularly want another stake in the stomach – he was running out of good shirts.

* * *

For once the class was interesting. Mr Saltzman seemed far more interested in the subject he was teaching than Mr Tanner ever had, and in no time at all the bell was ringing signalling the end of class. Scarlett started to pack away her books, intending to walk to the cafeteria with Elena when someone called her name.

"Miss Williams, can I see you for a minute?" Scarlett looked up to see Mr Saltzman smiling at her, and she nodded slightly and hung back as the rest of the class left the room. Elena was the last to leave, and she glanced at Scarlett with concern.

"I'll be right behind you," Scarlett assured her friend, and the brunette nodded before leaving her and Mr Saltzman alone, closing the door behind her. Scarlett approached the desk, her fingers idly playing with the hem of her purple blouse. "You wanted to see me, Mr Saltzman?" Mr Saltzman nodded and gestured for Scarlett to take a seat before leaning back against his desk. He seemed unsure of how to proceed, and he ran a hand through his short hair in an almost nervous manner.

"Yeah, I did. This may sound crazy, but you look exactly like someone I used to know… Are you by any chance related to a woman called Tara?" Scarlett's eyes widened at the sound of her mother's name, and her stomach started to churn anxiously.

"She was my mother," the redhead said quietly, her eyes never leaving Mr Saltzman's.

"Was?"

"She died… Two years ago." Mr Saltzman gasped quietly, and Scarlett felt a wave of sadness wash over her. Scarlett couldn't stop staring at his eyes; they seemed so familiar to her, but she had no idea why.

"I'm sorry… So, you live with your father now?" he asked, his voice gravelly, almost as if he was holding back tears. Scarlett's brows came together in a frown and she tilted her head slightly to one side.

"I never knew my father. My grandparents kicked my mum out when they found out she was pregnant, and she came back here." Mr Saltzman's eyes closed and he breathed deeply.

"You're seventeen," he said softly. It wasn't a question; just a statement of fact, so Scarlett remained silent. "I never knew…" Scarlett's heart began to pound in her chest, and she could hear the blood rushing in her ears. Her vision started to cloud over and she gasped as his words finally registered. She rushed to get out of her seat, knocking into a desk as she stumbled towards the door. "Scarlett, wait!" But Scarlett didn't listen. She had to get out of there, had to get away from that room. She ran down the corridor, her hair streaming wildly behind her. As she turned a corner, she knocked into someone.

"Scarlett? Oh my god, what's wrong?" Elena's arms wrapped around her and Scarlett held on to her as though she were a lifeline. Sobs wracked her body as her mind tried to compute this new information. Elena stood quietly, gently rubbing her friend's back in reassurance. "Everything's okay, Scarlett," she said quietly. After a few more minutes, Scarlett pulled back, rubbing furiously at her eyes with the heels of her hands. "Tell me what happened," Elena said, her dark eyes gazing at Scarlett's tear stained face.

"Mr Saltzman, he knew my mum and he kept asking questions about my dad and how old I was and I think… I think he might be my father," the redhead said in a rush, not even pausing to take a breath. "And I think I'm gonna pass out." Elena wrapped an arm around Scarlett's waist and quickly led her outside. As she opened a door, she and Scarlett saw Stefan sitting on a bench. The vampire immediately stood up and rushed to his goddaughter.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" he asked quickly as he cupped Scarlett's face in his hands, searching her eyes for any sign of what was wrong.

"I just need to sit down," the redhead said and Stefan and Elena quickly led her to the bench, both holding onto her arms as she walked. Scarlett sad down and rested her head against the cool wood of the bench. "I'll be fine in a little while; feel free to talk amongst yourselves." Stefan turned to Elena, his eyes full of questions.

"The new history teacher held her back at the end of class," the brunette explained. "Scarlett thinks he might be her father. Stefan's eyes widened in shock and Elena nodded. "Why weren't you in class?" she asked. "I was worried."

"Yeah, I got your messages," Stefan replied quietly as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket. "I'm sorry I didn't get back to you, but… What I wanna say shouldn't be said over the phone." Scarlett was half listening to the conversation; her mind was running a mile a minute, trying to process the new information she had received. She was trying to remember if her mum had ever said anything about her father, other than he was from Boston and she hadn't seen him since she was seventeen. Sitting up, she tried to pay more attention to Stefan and Elena.

"I simple 'I didn't kill my brother,' text would have sufficed," the brunette said teasingly, causing Stefan to give her a half smile.

"I didn't kill my brother, as much as he deserved it - he has you to thank for that." Scarlett's face heated at the mention of Damon's name. With all of the drama in history, she hadn't thought about him or their kiss since she arrived at school.

"So what did you want to tell me?" Elena asked as she smiled nervously up at Stefan.

"I won't be coming to school anymore. I'm gonna back off and keep my distance. It's the right thing to do." Scarlett's gaze flew to her godfather, and she watched as Elena took a half step back from him.

"Away from school… or from me?" she asked quietly. Stefan didn't reply. He didn't really need to. Elena nodded slightly and pulled her bag firmly onto her shoulder.

"Thank you for telling me," she said, and Scarlett could hear in her voice that Elena was trying her hardest to be strong.

"It's better this way."

"Yep, I got it," the brunette said tightly. Scarlett's gaze flicked between the pair, her faintness forgotten. Stefan nodded his head slightly, seemingly approving of Elena's reaction.

"You're angry. That's good. It'll be easier if you hate me." He turned to glance at Scarlett who was staring up at him with wide, shocked eyes. "You coming?" The redhead slowly shook her head and Stefan walked away without turning back. Scarlett stood up and pulled Elena in for a hug, which the brunette returned willingly. Stepping back, Scarlett saw the barely leashed tears in Elena's dark eyes.

"Let's go and find Bonnie. I'll text Caroline, and we can have a girl's night. I think we could all use one," Scarlett said with a smile. Elena nodded and the pair walked arm in arm towards the parking lot, Scarlett texting their blonde friend with one hand. When she looked up, Scarlett saw Bonnie standing next to her car with none other than Damon Salvatore, and it didn't look like the witch was enjoying the conversation. "Damon." Scarlett didn't raise her voice, she didn't have to – she knew that he would hear. The dark haired vampire turned and caught her gaze, before giving her a mocking bow. He turned to say something else to Bonnie and then started to make his way towards Scarlett and Elena.

"What does he want with Bonnie?" Elena asked quietly. Scarlett turned to her friend and lowered her voice slightly.

"Take Bonnie back to your place, I'll meet you there." The brunette frowned slightly.

"Are you sure you're feeling well enough to drive? You're still really pale…" Scarlett smiled brightly and gently pushed Elena towards Bonnie's car.

"I'll be fine, I'll see you later." Elena nodded and hurried towards Bonnie's car. Damon stopped in front of Scarlett and smirked down at her, but his smirk faltered slightly when he caught sight of her bloodshot eyes and the still visible tear tracks on her cheeks.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked, the question sounding more heartless than he had intended. Scarlett raised a single eyebrow and crossed her arms across her chest defensively.

"Nothing for you to worry about," she replied sharply. "Why were you talking to Bonnie?" Scarlett asked, determined to steer the conversation away from herself. Damon smiled mysteriously and leant forward so that his breath fanned across her face.

"That's for me to know and you to dot dot dot." Scarlett scowled at his evasiveness.

"That doesn't work on me Damon, now what do you want with Bonnie?" The vampire straightened and slid his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

"She has something that belongs to me; something that I need." Scarlett rolled her eyes before digging a hand into her bag to find her car keys.

"Well threatening her isn't going to help your cause," she said as she started to walk towards her 4x4. Damon fell into step beside her, his arm brushing against Scarlett's as they walked.

"How about you get it for me, then?" Scarlett stopped in her tracks and stared up at him incredulously. "We're friends; friends do each other favours." The redhead let out a short burst of laughter.

"We're not friends, Damon." Quashing the stabbing pain her words had caused, Damon gave Scarlett his most seductive smile.

"I'd say you were more than friendly this morning, Scar," he whispered. He watched as a rosy blush rose in her cheeks, and the predator within him growled in satisfaction.

"You kissed me," Scarlett said quickly, well aware that she was turning bright red. Damon stepped closer until there was only an inch of air between them, and Scarlett had to tilt her head back to look him in the eyes.

"You kissed me back," he whispered. Scarlett was completely hypnotised by Damon's eyes, and felt herself leaning forward as she rose slightly onto the balls of her feet. Damon raised his hand to gently stroke her arm. If he didn't know better he'd say he was being compelled, because he wanted to touch her all the time. Trying to get her out of his mind was hopeless; she was all he could think about day and night.

Just as their lips were about to touch, a car horn blared and Scarlett stumbled back, blinking rapidly to clear the fog in her mind. Glancing at Damon, she found him looking just as dazed as she felt. She backed away from him, her fingers clutching tightly to her car keys.

"Stay away from Bonnie," she said firmly, her voice much steadier than she thought it would be. Damon didn't acknowledge that he had heard her, so Scarlett turned and hurried to her car, getting in and throwing it into gear before driving out of the parking lot and making her way to Elena's house. Damon watched until Scarlett's car was out of sight before letting out the breath he had been holding. He seriously needed to get his act together. The comet had passed. All he needed was the crystal, and then his plan could be put into action. But first he needed to clear his mind of a certain redheaded empath.

* * *

Scarlett pulled up in front of Elena's house just as Stefan was descending the porch steps. She quickly got out of her car and met him halfway up the path.

"Everything okay, Stefan?" she asked quietly, well aware that Elena was watching them from the porch. Her godfather inclined his head slightly.

"Elena told me you saw Damon?" he asked. Scarlett felt her heart skip a beat and watched as Stefan frowned slightly at her – apparently he'd heard it too.

"Yeah, he wanted me to try and get something from Bonnie," she said hurriedly, trying to divert his attention. "I told him to stay away from her, but I don't think he listened."

"He never does," Stefan murmured.

"What is it that he wants?" the redhead asked.

"A crystal that belonged to Katherine." Scarlett frowned in confusion.

"But Katherine's dead – why would he want her crystal?"

"That's what I plan to find out," Stefan said calmly, his voice brimming with determination. "Make sure Bonnie stays here tonight." Scarlett nodded and watched as her godfather disappeared into the night before walking up the path to the porch where Elena was waiting.

"Did you sort things out with Damon?" the brunette asked as her friend climbed up the steps. Scarlett shrugged one shoulder.

"Who knows? Let's just try and have a relaxing, vampire free evening." Elena grinned at Scarlett's words and the two of them swiftly made their way inside.

* * *

Damon was in his favourite seat at the bar of the Mystic Grill, nursing his fifth glass of bourbon. He had a theory that if he drank enough alcohol, Scarlett Williams would be erased from his memory. As yet, it hadn't worked. He lifted his glass to his mouth, but before he could take so much as a sip, his brother appeared at his shoulder and started talking.

"So Stefan, you know, I've been thinking we should start over. Give this brother thing another chance – we used to do it oh so well once upon a time." Damon had to smile at Stefan's attempt's to mimic him yet again. He was doing something strange with his eyebrows – Damon was pretty sure he'd never pulled a face like that in his existence, but he thought he'd play along for a little while.

"I don't… Damon. I can't trust you to be a nice guy. You kill everybody, and you're not good enough for Scarlett, and you're so mean and… you're so mean…" Damon trailed off, trying to think of something else to say and coming up blank. "You're really hard to imitate, and then I have to go to that lesser place…" Stefan gave his brother a half smile.

"At least you realise that Scarlett is too good for you," he said before turning to the bartender and ordering a coffee. Damon frowned at Stefan's comment. Of course he knew that Scarlett was too good for him; she was practically an angel compared to him, but what right did Stefan have to say that to him? Oh yeah, he was her godfather… "So what's with the bottle?" Stefan asked, gesturing towards the half empty bottle of bourbon by Damon's side. Damon let out a long sigh.

"I'm on edge. Crash diet, you know I'm trying to keep a low profile." Stefan murmured in agreement.

"You could always just leave, find a new town to turn into your own personal Gas'N'Sip."

"I'll manage," Damon replied with a smirk. "I'm sure Scar wouldn't mind letting me tap a vein once in a while," he said lightly, watching as Stefan barely managed to keep a check on his rage at the mention of his goddaughter's name. Instead he took a long sip from his newly arrived coffee cup while Damon poured himself another drink. "You know, you don't have to keep an eye on me."

"I'm not here to keep an eye on you," Stefan told him.

"So why are you here?"

"Why not?" Stefan asked as he nabbed the bottle of bourbon and strolled towards the darts board. Damon smirked as he followed his little brother. Tonight could prove to be interesting.

* * *

Caroline had finally arrived with the food and she, Scarlett and Elena were stood in the Gilbert's kitchen setting out plates and cutlery. Scarlett glanced up as Bonnie entered the room and was immediately engulfed by a wave of hostility radiating from Caroline. Reaching up to massage her temple, Scarlett threw the blonde a look, urging her to say something to Bonnie. Caroline tried to ignore her, instead focusing on getting the food out of the take-out bag. Scarlett cleared her throat slightly, and when Caroline glanced at her, she tilted her head in Bonnie's direction.

"Say something," she mouthed. Finally, Caroline took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders before turning to the witch.

"I'm sorry. There, I said it." Elena and Scarlett exchanged amused glances at Caroline's outburst. "If you want the ugly ass necklace, keep it. It's yours." Scarlett rolled her eyes at that before continuing to pour drinks for the four of them. Her emotions were completely out of control, meaning her powers were as well, so she was finding it impossible to block out the feelings of everyone in the room. Focusing on one thing at a time seemed to be helping. Bonnie hesitated before responding.

"Would you hate me if I told you I threw it away?" she asked.

"You threw it away?" Caroline exclaimed disbelievingly.

"I know it sounds crazy but, the necklace was giving me nightmares. I had to get rid of it," Bonnie explained hurriedly.

"You could have just given it back to me," Caroline told her.

"Why, so you could give it back to Damon?" Elena asked, her voice laced with scepticism. Caroline glanced at Scarlett, who simply raised her eyebrow, before the blonde let out a troubled sigh.

"Screw Damon," she murmured. "Are we doing manicures or what? Who has their kit."

"Not me," Scarlett replied.

"Mine's in my bag," Bonnie said, and Caroline smiled before walking over the retrieve Bonnie's manicure kit.

"So Elena, how long do you think this fight with Stefan's gonna last?" the blonde asked aloud. "Is it like, a permanent thing?" Elena picked up a French fry and took a bite before responding.

"I don't know Caroline," she said, sounding more than slightly exasperated as she shared an annoyed look with Bonnie. Scarlett frowned as she felt a renewed surge of anger from Caroline, and glanced towards her just as the blonde turned around.

"Why are you such a little liar, Bonnie?" Bonnie and Elena both made sounds of protest at Caroline's exclamation, but Scarlett was too busy staring at the amber crystal hanging from Caroline's hand.

"Didn't you say you threw that away?" Scarlett asked slowly. Bonnie turned to look at the redhead, fear evident in her eyes as she nodded once. "Well then… how did it get back?" Caroline stormed back into the kitchen and dropped the crystal on the centre island.

"I can't believe you lied to me about this," she hissed.

"I'm not lying to you Caroline, I swear," Bonnie replied calmly.

"It's true; I watched her throw it into a field," Elena confirmed. Scarlett couldn't take her eyes off the crystal. She kept getting the strangest feeling from it… almost as if it was actually alive.

"Well then explain it," Caroline said shrilly. Bonnie glanced up at Scarlett – she had always been more interested in the supernatural. It was one of the reasons why she got on so well with Bonnie's Grams and she had a sneaking suspicion that Scarlett already knew that she was a witch.

"Emily?" she asked. The redhead raised a shoulder in a half-hearted shrug.

"It's possible. Your Grams always said she was pretty powerful."

"Wait, who's Emily?" Caroline sounded confused.

"The ghost," Bonnie said, her eyes never leaving Scarlett's face.

"The ghost has a name now?" Caroline asked sarcastically. Scarlett sent her a quick glare, whilst Elena raised a hand to silence her as she too turned to Scarlett.

"I wonder why she won't leave me alone," Bonnie wondered angrily. Caroline finally snapped.

"Okay, what is going on? Why am I not a part of this conversation? You three do this to me all the time."

"That's not true," Elena said, but Bonnie quickly interrupted her.

"Yes it is," the witch said before turning to Caroline. "I can't talk to you, and nor can Scarlett. You don't listen."

"Leave me out of this…" Scarlett mumbled, but she was drowned out by Caroline's shrill retort.

"That's not true!" Bonnie took a deep breath before responding.

"I'm a witch."

"And don't we all know it?" Caroline said scathingly. Scarlett frowned at the blonde's comment, sharing a disappointed look with Elena.

"See?! That's what I'm talking about. I'm trying to tell you something, you won't even hear it," she said, before storming out of the room. Caroline turned to watch her leave and then turned back to Scarlett and Elena.

"I listen!" she exclaimed. "When do I not listen?"

"You may listen, Caroline, but you don't always hear what we're telling you," Scarlett said calmly.

"What's the difference?" Scarlett walked to Caroline's side and placed a hand on her arm. She took a deep breath and looked deep into Caroline's grey eyes, letting her own tranquillity and understanding flow into her friend. Elena watched with wide eyes as Caroline visibly relaxed, a small smile curling her lips.

"This thing that is happening to Bonnie is really scaring her," Scarlett explained softly as she soothingly rubbed Caroline's arm. "She doesn't understand it, and what she really needs is for her friends to just accept it and support her in any way we can, okay?" Caroline nodded in response, before turning and following Bonnie into the living room. Once she had left, Scarlett stumbled slightly and grabbed onto the counter top. Elena rushed around the centre island and helped Scarlett sit on one of the barstools.

"What did you do?" she asked quietly. Scarlett closed her eyes and massaged her temples – her head was pounding.

"I guess you could call is emotional transference; I made Caroline feel what I was feeling. I thought it was worth a shot." Elena nodded slowly as she tried to understand what Scarlett was saying.

"You should be careful, Scarlett. It's obviously taking a lot out of you…" Scarlett smiled slightly and looked up at her friend's concerned gaze.

"Practice makes perfect, right?" Elena smiled in return as the pair snuck to the doorway and eavesdropped on Bonnie and Caroline's conversation.

* * *

Meanwhile at the Grill, Stefan was thrashing Damon at darts. The eldest Salvatore scowled as his little brother got yet another bull's-eye.

"Lucky shot," Damon complained as he moved towards the board to grab the darts. Stefan smirked at his brother's reaction.

"More like a carefully honed skill over many decades," he explained as Damon wrote the score on the chalkboard.

"You're beating me." Stefan's smirk only widened.

"Well, yeah, because I'm better than you." Damon walked back to his brother's side, a smirk of his own stretching his lips as he examined Stefan.

"I'm on to you; reverse psychology. I mean, it's a little transparent, but I admire the effort."

"You prefer the brooding forehead?" Stefan asked, drawing his eyebrows together in a frown. Damon smiled at his brother's lame attempt at humour.

"Seriously, what game do you think you're playing?" he asked.

"That's a funny question, considering the fact that I have been asking you that for months." Damon shook his head and turned away as Stefan let out a snort of laughter. "It's frustrating, isn't it?"

"Touché," Damon replied sarcastically. Stefan turned and made his way over to the bar to get another drink, leaving Damon alone by the dart board. Pulling his phone from his pocket, the dark haired vampire typed a quick message before hitting send.

"Who're you texting?" Stefan asked from his side; Damon hadn't heard him approach. He quickly slipped his phone away and smirked tauntingly at his brother.

"No one important."

* * *

Scarlett and Elena were stood in the kitchen of the Gilbert House, listening closely to the conversation between Caroline and Bonnie in the other room. The redhead couldn't help but smile when she heard Caroline's speech.

"Look, it's just not me. Okay, I don't believe in the… woo woo…" Scarlett let out a giggle which was quickly muffled by Elena's hand over her mouth. "But if you do then, okay. I'm in. That's all it takes for me to jump on board because I consider you to be my best friend. And I'm saying this knowing that Scarlett and Elena are in the kitchen listening to my every word." There was the sound of footsteps and shuffling before Caroline continued. "Look, I didn't know how real this was for you, but I'm listening now… Okay?"

"Okay," Bonnie murmured quietly.

"Scarlett, Elena, you can come in now – we're done!" Caroline called, and the two girls poked their heads around the corner, smiling when they saw the happy looks on Caroline and Bonnie's faces. They both took seats on the same sofa as Caroline and Bonnie, and Scarlett winked at the blonde making her laugh.

"Well there is just way too much drama in this room," Caroline exclaimed. "So what do you guys wanna do?" Scarlett was about to reply when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

_Damon:- Stefan is trying to bond. It's embarrassing. Hope you're having a better night than I am._

The redhead smiled slightly as she read the message before glancing up at Caroline who was looking at her expectantly.

"Oh, I don't mind. Whatever you guys decide is fine with me." The blond frowned slightly before a wide grin lit up her face and she jumped up.

"I have an idea; why don't we have a séance?" Scarlett and Bonnie exchanged worried looks.

"I don't think that's a good idea…" the witch said hesitantly, and Elena nodded in agreement with her. Caroline stood up, bouncing on her toes excitedly.

"Come on, let's summon some spirits. This Emily chick has some serious explaining to do," she said firmly.

"I don't even know how to do a séance," Bonnie said, her eyes once again travelling to Scarlett. The redhead sighed in defeat before turning to meet Elena's troubled gaze.

"Have you got any white candles?" she asked quietly. The brunette nodded and they all moved up to Elena's bedroom, the brunette grabbing some candles on the way up. Once they were in the room, Scarlett placed the candles on the floor and lit them with some matches Elena handed her. "Okay Elena, turn out the lights. Everyone sit in a circle and hold hands." The girls quickly complied, and soon they were all sat in complete silence. Scarlett closed her eyes and breathed deeply, using the quiet as an excuse to re-build the barriers around her mind.

"What are we doing?" Bonnie asked after a few moments.

"I don't know," Elena replied sceptically. Scarlett opened her eyes and smiled ruefully at the two girls as Caroline took charge.

"Shh! Be quiet and concentrate. Okay, close your eyes." The three girls did as they were told. "Now take a deep breath… Bonnie, call to her."

"Emily – you there?" Scarlett couldn't stop the laughter that erupted from her mouth. Caroline's eyes flashed as they opened, and she glared first at the redhead and then at Bonnie.

"Really? 'Emily, you there?' That's all you've got? Come on!"

"Fine, geez…" Bonnie said quickly, and the four once again closed their eyes and breathed deeply. "Emily, I call on you. I know you have a message… I'm here to listen." Scarlett shivered as she felt a presence move behind her. Opening her eyes, she turned to see nothing but Elena's room. Suddenly, the candle flames flickered brightly before returning to normal, causing her to gasp.

"Did that just…" Elena asked, but Caroline quickly cut her off.

"Yeah that just happened," the blonde said, her voice wavering slightly. Scarlett's wide blue eyes rose to meet Bonnie's – this was a huge mistake. Caroline gasped. The temperature had dropped.

"It's just the air conditioning," Bonnie said firmly, trying to justify the sudden iciness of the room. The candle flames flickered again, almost as though they were protesting Bonnie's words, but this time they did not return to normal.

"Ask her to show you a sign," Caroline said to Bonnie.

"That's a really bad idea," Scarlett murmured, her gaze fixed over Bonnie's shoulder – she could've sworn she saw someone there. Bonnie shook her head, refusing to do what Caroline said.

"Ask her!" the blonde insisted. When Bonnie once again refused, Caroline spoke up. "Emily, if you're among us; show us another sign." Nothing happened. Elena reached out to touch Scarlett's arm, causing the redhead to glance at her friend. Just as she did, Scarlett felt something pass through her and shuddered violently.

"Scarlett, what is it?" Elena asked anxiously. Scarlett closed her eyes against the feelings swirling in her head, her fingertips digging into the carpet.

"I'm not sure," she whispered.

"It didn't work," Bonnie said slowly, her voice wavering with uncertainty. A moment passed, then Elena's bedroom windows burst open. Only there was no wind… The four girls scrambled away from the window in shock. "No! I can't – I'm done!" Bonnie exclaimed, rising quickly to her feet and tearing the crystal from its place at her neck before throwing it to the floor. The candles extinguished of their own accord, plunging the room into complete darkness. "Get the lights! Please get the lights!" Bonnie yelled.

Scarlett quickly pushed herself onto her feet and stumbled towards the bedroom door where she knew the light switch was. Her fingers found the wall and she blindly searched it until she found the switch. She flipped it on. The lights came on and Bonnie sighed with relief before glancing down at the floor.

"You guys… The necklace. It's gone." Scarlett stepped forward, her own eyes casting around on the floor for any sign of the amber crystal, but it was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

After well and truly beating Damon at darts, Stefan suggested they play a little football. It had always been something they enjoyed doing as humans, and he wanted to try and get into his brother's head. As they walked onto the high school football pitch, Damon checked his phone and saw a new text message.

_Scarlett:- Depends if your idea of a good night includes having a really creepy séance._ Damon's eyebrows drew together in a frown; why would Scarlett have a séance? Then he remembered who she was with and it all made sense.

"What are you smiling about?" Stefan asked as he tossed a football to Damon who caught it in one hand as he slipped his phone back into his pocket.

"Nothing," he said quickly as he tossed the ball back to his brother. Stefan passed Damon the bottle of bourbon they'd brought with them from the Grill before jogging backwards onto the pitch. "What are we doing here?" Damon asked indifferently as he watched Stefan.

"Bonding," Stefan replied simply. "Catch." Once again he threw the ball to Damon, who caught it and scooped it into his chest, smirking slightly as he walked forward and returned the ball to Stefan.

"Go long," Stefan said as Damon approached, passing the ball back to his brother. "Give it a try." Damon put the bourbon down beside him and smiled at his brother.

"Don't forget who taught you to play this game," he said before throwing the ball as far as he could down the pitch and running to catch it at vampire speed. Just as the ball touched his hands, Damon felt himself being knocked backwards by Stefan and the pair landed in a pile on the ground. Damon groaned in pain, completely winded. "Ow! Oh that hurts…" he murmured. Stefan chuckled slightly at his comment.

"Downside of my diet; getting hit actually hurts a little bit," he said. Damon groaned again before sighing as he finally managed to catch his breath.

"I'm impressed, Stefan. Fun with booze and darts, sentimental with football and now… a starry night." Damon quickly sat up and turned to face his brother. "What do you want, Stefan?" he asked bluntly. After a moment Stefan sat up as well, his face adopting a serious expression.

"It wasn't real, Damon," he said calmly. Damon gazed at the younger vampire curiously, signalling for him to continue. "Our love for Katherine." Damon chuckled at this, turning away and shaking his head. "She compelled us; we didn't have a choice." Damon let out a heavy sigh, gazing up at the night sky. Took me years to sort that out, to truly understand what she did to us."

"Oh no, Stefan," Damon said, cutting him off before he could say any more. "We are not taking that on tonight." Damon quickly stood up and started to walk away.

"Okay, let's try something else; what are you doing with Scarlett?" Damon stopped in his tracks and turned back to face Stefan, a smirk twisting his lips.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said sarcastically.

"I'm not blind or stupid, Damon. What do you want with her?" Damon's smirk widened at the protective tone he heard in his brother's voice. He shrugged lightly.

"She's not boring, unlike the rest of this miserable town. I might as well keep myself entertained while I'm here."

"She's a human being with feelings, Damon. If you hurt her, I swear to God –"

"You'll what?" Damon asked challengingly, his shoulders tensing slightly, preparing himself in case Stefan got any stupid ideas about attacking him. "She's not a kid, Stefan. Besides, Scar is more than capable of looking after herself, or have you not been paying attention to the fact that her abilities are developing?"

"I haven't been on the receiving end of them, so I wouldn't know." Thinking the conversation was over, Damon started to turn away from his brother. "One more question."

"God, you've got a lot of those tonight, haven't you?" Damon asked as he rolled his eyes, his voice right with exasperation.

"Last one – what do you want with Katherine's crystal?" Damon hid his shock at Stefan's question with a smirk.

"How do you know about that?" he asked calmly.

"Come on – you knew Elena and Scarlett would tell me," Stefan replied as he lifted himself from the ground and stood straight, his eyes never leaving Damon's face.

"How did you know it was Katherine's?" the blue eyed vampire asked curiously. "Emily gave it to her on her last night. I was with her and you… weren't." Stefan hesitated before he replied.

"I was the last one to see her, Damon." Damon's gaze hardened as he saw the truth of Stefan's words in his eyes. "Now what do you want with Katherine's crystal?" Damon tilted his head to one side and smirked at his brother.

"She didn't tell you?" he asked tauntingly.

"We had other things on our mind." In less than a second, Damon was standing in front of his brother, staring straight into his eyes.

"I could rip your heart out and not think twice about it," he said threateningly. Stefan didn't back down.

"Yeah… I've heard that before," he replied softly. Damon smirked before clapping his brother on the shoulder.

"I have a bigger surprise, Stefan." He turned and walked away, getting about five paces before he faced his brother again. "I'm gonna bring her back." Damon waited for his comment to register on Stefan's face before smirking once more and striding away.

* * *

Scarlett was beginning to worry. The girls had quite literally ripped Elena's room apart, but there was still no sign of the crystal. The redhead replaced the window-seat cushion just as Elena turned to Caroline.

"Okay, fun's over Caroline. You made a point, and I get it. Now give it back." The blonde's mouth dropped open in shock.

"What? I didn't take it!" Something moved in the hallway, catching Scarlett's attention and she hurried to the bedroom door. "What? What happened?" Caroline asked, following Scarlett's gaze. The redhead shook her head slightly.

"I don't know; nothing." She turned to Elena. "Is Jeremy home?" Elena quickly moved passed her friend and looked out onto the landing, calling out to her brother. There was no reply. Scarlett's gaze flew to Bonnie as she started to walk towards Elena's bathroom.

"Um, guys…" Her voice trailed off as she stepped into the bathroom. Scarlett moved forward until she could see Bonnie again, and her eyes widened when she saw the witch pick up the crystal from its place on the bathroom floor. Unexpectedly, the door slammed shut, blocking Bonnie from sight. The witch let out a piercing scream. Scarlett ran to the door and tried to force it open, but it wouldn't move.

"Bonnie!" Elena cried as Caroline beat her hands against the door.

"Bonnie, calm down, you're going to be fine," Scarlett called, trying to keep her voice calm. "Elena, check the other door." Elena nodded and ran from the room. Bonnie screamed again and Scarlett and Caroline renewed their efforts to try and open the door.

"Bonnie, unlock the door!" Caroline yelled, her voice laced with frustration. All of the lights suddenly flickered and Scarlett felt a surge of energy pulse through her. Her legs trembled and she collapsed against the door. "Elena, something's wrong with Scarlett!" Caroline shrieked as she knelt in front of her friend, taking in the redhead's unfocused eyes and the drop of blood trickling from her nose.

All of the lights started to flicker on and off and Bonnie let out another ear-piercing scream. Elena re-entered her bedroom just as Caroline stood back up and started beating at the bathroom door. The brunette took in Scarlett, who was still crumpled on the floor, her back leaning against the wall as she stared blankly into the distance. The lights stopped flickering. The screaming ceased, and the door to the bathroom opened as if it had never been locked in the first place. Bonnie was standing in the middle of the room, her hands covering her face.

Scarlett gasped as she bolted upright, struggling to get enough air into her oxygen deprived lungs. She attempted to stand up and Elena quickly assisted her, curling an arm around her friend's waist to support her. The brunette tried to question the empath to see if she was alright, but Scarlett shook her head and gestured towards Bonnie who was still immobile in the bathroom. Elena took a step forward, pulling Scarlett with her.

"What happened? Are you okay?" she asked Bonnie, her voice filled with worry. Bonnie made no attempt to reply. She just kept standing in the middle of the bathroom, her hands blocking her face from view. After a pregnant pause, she finally raised her head, her eyes meeting Scarlett's. The redhead frowned at the look on her friend's face; something wasn't right about the expression.

"I'm fine," the witch finally said, her voice calm. Too calm.

"Unbelievable. You were totally faking it," Caroline said as she stared disbelievingly at Bonnie.

"Caroline, come on," Elena said, trying to calm the blonde down but it didn't work.

"No, you scared the hell out of me!" Caroline exclaimed, and she turned and stormed out of the room. Bonnie's gaze had yet to leave Scarlett's, and the redhead was beginning to feel unnerved by the witch's constant staring. Reaching out with her mind, Scarlett tried to read Bonnie's emotions, but for some reason she couldn't feel anything.

"Bonnie?" Elena said cautiously, finally getting Bonnie to look at her.

"I'm fine," she said simply. "Everything's fine." Without saying another word, she swiftly exited the bathroom following in the direction Caroline had gone. Elena's troubled brown gaze met Scarlett's.

"What as that?" the brunette mouthed to her friend, but Scarlett could only shrug in response. She had no idea what had just happened, but whatever it was, it wasn't good.

* * *

Damon strolled purposefully away from the football pitch, knowing instinctively that his brother was going to follow him. He was angry and frustrated – not a good mix, and for some reason all he wanted to do was race over to Elena's house and see Scarlett. He knew that if anyone could calm him down, it would be her. But he couldn't see Scarlett. He was here for one thing; to get Katherine back. And nothing and no one was going to stop him from doing exactly that.

"How can you bring Katherine back?" Stefan's voice came from a few feet behind him. Damon slowed down slightly, kicking a stone that was in his way.

"Before Katherine and the others were killed in the church, do you remember what it was like in this town?" he asked as he turned to face his brother with a smug smile.

"Yeah, I remember the fear and the hysteria," Stefan replied as he came to a stop in front of Damon.

"Townspeople were killing vampires one by one. When they came for Katherine, I went straight to Emily; said I'll do anything, name your price. Just protect her… She did." Stefan shook his head in confusion, still not grasping what Damon was telling him.

"How?"

"She did some kind of spell with the crystal; and while the church was burning and we thought Katherine was burning in it, she wasn't," Damon explained.

"But I… I saw her go inside…" Damon smirked at his brother.

"There's a tomb underneath the church. The spell sealed Katherine in that tomb, protecting her."

"Are you telling me that Katherine's alive?" Stefan asked incredulously. Damon shrugged in response.

"Well, if that's what you wanna call it. She's been trapped in a mystical holding cell for the last century and a half. But, you're an expert on starving a vampire so… how do you think she's doing, Stef?" Stefan stared at Damon. His brother had a maniacal glint in his eye unlike anything he'd ever seen before. "Did you know that witches can use celestial events to draw energy into their magic? Pfft, me either! But in order to give the crystal its power, Emily used the comet that was passing overhead… And in order for that crystal to work again…" Damon trailed off, waiting for his brother to figure out what he was saying.

"The comet had to return…" Stefan said slowly, his brows pulled together in a stern frown.

"Downside – long time in between comets and a couple of... hiccups along the way with the crystal, but the comet passed and I got the crystal," Damon said with a smile, which quickly turned into a small frown. "Then Caroline got the crystal, and now Bonnie has the crystal… and here we are." Stefan was still confused.

"Why would Emily, why would she do this for you?" he asked. Damon shrugged as though it were obvious.

"Because she knew they were gonna come for her too." Realisation dawned on Stefan's face as Damon continued to explain. "And she made me promise that her lineage would survive."

"I remember, you saved her children…"

"Yeah, it's the only thing keeping me from ripping that little Bonnie girl's throat out to get my crystal back. Oh well, deal's a deal," Damon finished with a sigh. He smirked as he saw the disbelieving look on Stefan's face. "So… are gonna go throw some more?" he asked sarcastically.

* * *

"I can't believe I fell for it," Caroline said in frustration as the four girls made their way out of Elena's bedroom, Bonnie in the lead. Scarlett was still a bit shaky on her feet, so she leaned against the railing as she watched Bonnie stride forward, her hands clasped demurely in front of her. It was very un-Bonnie-like.

"I must go," the witch said calmly, her voice somewhat deeper than usual. Scarlett's delicate brows drew together in a frown as she watched her friend. Everything about her seemed different, as though she wasn't the same person… The redhead's eyes widened as comprehension dawned.

"If she's leaving, I'm leaving," Caroline said, but Scarlett barely heard her.

"You guys can't leave," Elena exclaimed as Bonnie, or at least the person who looked like Bonnie, started to make her way down the stairs.

"Oh I can. I've had enough freaky fake witch stuff for one night," the blonde told Elena. A few steps down, Bonnie turned to Elena.

"Thank you for having me. I'll take it from here." With that, she continued to walk down the stairs without so much as a glance behind her.

"Where are you going?" Elena asked, her voice filled with confusion.

"Back to where it all began," Bonnie said simply. Elena called out to her friend but she didn't get a response. Scarlett hurried as fast as her weakened state would allow her and joined Elena at the top of the stairs. She took a deep breath before saying one, single word.

"Emily." The witch turned at the bottom of the stairs, her gaze locking with Scarlett's and the redhead heard Elena gasp beside her.

"I won't let him have it," Emily said with Bonnie's mouth, her eyes narrowing as she stared up at Scarlett. "It must be destroyed." That said, Emily turned and ran from the house, slamming the front door closed behind her. Scarlett stumbled down the stairs, Elena and Caroline hot on her heels.

"Why does he even want it?" she called after the witch, knowing that Emily would understand who she was talking about. Reaching the door, Scarlett attempted to pull it open but it wouldn't budge.

"Scarlett, what's happening?" Elena asked as she reached the redhead's side.

"The door won't open – we have to get to Bonnie, now," Scarlett explained as she continued to pull at the door. Suddenly the door burst open and Scarlett stumbled back as a tall, dark figure lunged towards her.

"What the hell?" Jeremy asked as Caroline and Elena screamed loudly. Looking more than slightly confused, Jeremy walked past the three girls into the kitchen. Scarlett sprinted out of the front door towards her car, ignoring Elena's calls for her to wait. She needed to get to Bonnie, and she had a sneaking suspicion she knew exactly where she was going. Jumping into her car, Scarlett quickly put it into gear just as the passenger side door opened and Elena clambered inside.

"I called Stefan," she told the redhead, gasping for breath. Scarlett nodded before flooring the gas pedal and speeding down the road.

* * *

Damon watched from behind a moss covered tombstone as Emily, using Bonnie's body, walked determinedly towards the ruins of Fells Church. As she got nearer, he finally stepped out to confront her.

"Hello Emily," he said, catching her attention and causing her to stop and glance in his direction. "You look different."

"I won't let you do it," she told him. Damon barely managed to hold back a growl as he took a few steps further, gesturing between himself and the witch.

"We had a deal," he said harshly.

"Things are different now – I need to protect my family."

"I protected your family. You owe me!" Damon insisted. Emily's face softened for a moment as she gazed at him.

"I know… I'm sorry," she replied softly. Damon's eyes darkened with rage.

"You're about to be a lot more than that," he threatened as he rushed at the witch, but she was ready for his attack and quickly thrust him away with her powers, spearing Damon on a low hanging tree branch. The vampire cried out in pain, but Emily didn't heed his cries. Instead she picked up a fallen branch and began to trace a symbol in the dirt. Damon attempted to prise himself off the branch, but he couldn't quite manage it. Luckily he didn't have to wait very long before Stefan arrived, and his brother quickly helped him down.

"Oh, that hurts!" Damon complained as he collapsed to the floor. "This is why I feed on people."

"Stefan." Stefan turned to find Bonnie, or should say Emily, staring at him.

"Hello Emily," he said calmly.

"These people don't deserve this; they should never have to know such evil," Emily told him. Stefan took a couple of slow steps towards the witch.

"What do you mean evil?" he asked cautiously.

"Emily, I swear to God I'll make you regret this," Damon groaned as he tried to stand up, clutching his rapidly healing wound.

"I won't let you unleash them into this world," Emily said firmly. Stefan's eyes widened at her words.

"Them?" he asked. When Emily remained silent, he turned to his brother who was still struggling to rise. "What part of the story did you leave out Damon?"

"What does it matter?" Damon said as he managed to get into a kneeling position. Stefan turned back to the witch.

"Emily, tell me what you did," he called. Emily looked up from her work and made eye contact with the younger vampire.

"To save her, I had to save them."

"You saved everyone in the church?" Stefan asked in astonishment.

"With one comes all," Emily confirmed.

"I don't care about them," Damon told her, finally stumbling to his feet and using Stefan's arm to keep himself upright. "I just want Katherine." Emily tilted her head to one side as she smirked at him.

"Are you sure about that?" she asked quietly. Damon didn't have time to question Emily's cryptic comment, as Stefan grabbed him by the jacket and glared into his eyes.

"I knew I shouldn't have believed a single word that comes out of your mouth," he said as he shook Damon. "This isn't about love, is it? This is about revenge."

"The two aren't mutually exclusive," Damon said as he tried to get Stefan to loosen his grip.

"Damon, you can't do this."

"Why not?!" Damon yelled as he shoved Stefan back. "They killed twenty seven people and they called it a war battle, they deserve whatever they get!" Stefan once again grabbed his brother's jacket, trying to shake some sense into him. God, how he wished Scarlett were here; her empathic abilities might come in useful.

"Twenty seven vampires, Damon. They were vampires. You can't just bring them back." Damon clasped his brother's head in his hands and looked him square in the eyes.

"This town deserves this," he murmured. Stefan couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You're blaming innocent people for something that happened one hundred and forty five years ago," he said, trying to reason with his brother, but it didn't work and Damon thrust him away.

"There is nothing innocent about these people and don't think for a second that it won't happen again" he spat, his blue eyes blazing with fury. "They already know too much, and they'll burn your little grand-witch right next to us when they find out, trust me," Damon said as he glared over Stefan's shoulder at Emily. A twisted smirk came to his face as he glanced back at his brother. "And don't think that your little goddaughter will be safe when they start rounding us up."

"Things are different now," Emily said firmly.

"Don't do this," Damon begged, but Emily's gaze only hardened.

"I can't free them," she said. "I won't." Dropping the branch to the floor, she raised her arms to the heavens and cried, "Incendia!" Flames erupted all around her, forcing Stefan and Damon to step back away from the heat. Emily pulled the crystal from her neck and held it aloft before making eye contact with Damon.

"No, no please," he begged, his pale eyes pleading with her to stop.

"Bonnie!" Damon turned when he heard Scarlett's voice and watched as she and Elena burst into the clearing. The empath's eyes quickly met his and she gasped as she saw his blood stained shirt before turning back to the witch. "Emily, don't you dare hurt her," she yelled. The witch turned to Scarlett with a small smile.

"I'm doing this for her. For you. For everyone. The path you tread is a dangerous one, Scarlett Williams. Take care." With that, Emily threw the crystal into the air and it exploded in a burst of white light. Scarlett quickly raised her arm to protect her face from the sparks that flew in every direction. Lowering her arm, she watched as the flames extinguished leaving Bonnie standing silent and confused in the moonlight. Before Scarlett could move, she heard Damon growl and suddenly he was at Bonnie's side, his fangs embedded in her neck.

"NO!" Scarlett screamed, and she didn't even try to stop the wave of power that coursed through her body from pulsing out towards Damon and sending him careening into a tree. The redhead ran forward as Bonnie collapsed to the floor, the wound at her neck pouring crimson blood onto the ground. Scarlett dragged her blouse off over her head, leaving her in a simple black vest top, and held the material firmly against Bonnie's neck. Stefan was beside her in an instant and quickly leaned down to listen to Bonnie's heartbeat.

"She's alive, but barely - I can save her," he said as he quickly bit into his wrist.

"Stop talking about it and do it," Scarlett snapped, her eyes never leaving Bonnie's face. Stefan placed his bloody wrist against Bonnie's mouth, urging her to swallow his blood. Scarlett felt Elena kneel beside her, resting a hand against her shoulder.

"Swallow, Bonnie. Just swallow," the redhead muttered calmly, pushing a wave of peacefulness into Bonnie's head. The witch's eyes flew open to meet Stefan's, and with a bit of persuasion, she swallowed a few mouthfuls of his blood. "You're okay. You're gonna be okay," Scarlett told her friend soothingly as she carefully pulled away her shirt to reveal Bonnie's wound which was quickly knitting itself closed as her breathing evened out.

"Her neck – it's healing," Elena said, half in shock, half in amazement. Bonnie's gaze moved to Scarlett who smiled down at her.

"Scarlett – what happened?" The redhead didn't reply, she didn't know how to. Instead she raised her gaze to find Damon staring at her, his bloodshot eyes full of pain and longing before he turned and walked into the forest followed by Stefan. Turning back to Bonnie, Scarlett gently helped her to sit up and, with Elena's help, managed to get the witch onto her feet.

"We'll explain everything, but right now we need to get you home," the empath said quietly. "Elena, will you take her to the car? I'll only be a couple of minutes." The brunette nodded before leading a still shaky Bonnie towards Scarlett's 4x4. Scarlett watched them for a moment before turning and following in the direction Stefan and Damon had gone. They hadn't gone far, and soon she could overhear Damon talking.

"Katherine never compelled me – I knew everything, every step of the way. It was real for me." There was a pause before Damon spoke again. "I'll leave now." Scarlett's heart stopped. He couldn't leave… She was so caught up in her own thoughts and emotions that she didn't notice Stefan walking towards her until he stopped in front of her. Slowly he reached out and cupped her cheek with his hand, raising her gaze to his.

"Talk to him," he said softly. "He could use a friend right now." Scarlett nodded slowly and Stefan gave her a small smile as he walked past. Taking a deep breath the redhead moved further into the forest until she saw Damon sitting on a ruined wall, his empty eyes gazing blankly into the distance. He didn't look at her as she sat by his side and didn't move as she rested her hand on his arm.

"I'm sorry, Damon," she whispered as she studied his face. Finally he turned to face her, his eyes filled with unshed tears and confusion. Without thinking, Scarlett leant forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tightly. Damon's arms remained limp at his sides as he felt Scarlett's small, warm body pressing against his. It was such a simple gesture, so innocent, and yet it meant so much. He honestly couldn't remember the last time someone had just held him without asking for anything in return. Slowly his arms crept up and wrapped around her waist as he rested his head against her shoulder.

They sat like that for a few moments, neither breaking the silence and neither quiet wanting the moment to end, but eventually Scarlett pulled back, her hands cupping Damon's face as she gazed into his eyes.

"I'm sorry," she whispered once more, before placing a gentle kiss against his cheek. That done, she stood and walked back to her car, leaving Damon alone with his thoughts. As she got closer to the place where she had parked, she saw Stefan and Elena talking and couldn't help but overhear the tail-end of their conversation.

"I thought that I couldn't be with you, but I can. You don't have to push me away. I can do this," Elena said as she reached forward to take Stefan's hands. Scarlett watched as her godfather smiled sadly before replying.

"I can't… I have to leave, Elena." Scarlett's heart clenched at his words. "Too many people have died, too much has happened."

"What? No. I know you think you're protecting me, but –"

"I have to. Coming home was… was a mistake. I can't be a part of your life anymore," Stefan explained gently. Scarlett could feel tears welling in her eyes and blinked furiously to keep them at bay.

"Don't go Stefan. Please, you don't have to, this is your home, just… please don't go." Stefan raised Elena's hand to his lips and kissed it softly.

"Goodbye, Elena," he said, and finally he turned and walked into the night. Elena called after him, but the vampire didn't turn around. Scarlett quickly composed herself and walked up to Elena. The brunette looked into her eyes, her own brown eyes filled with tears that had already started to fall.

"Get in the car," Scarlett said gently. "I'll take you and Bonnie home." Elena nodded and quickly got into the back seat with Bonnie. The two girls cried silently as Scarlett drove them to Elena's house. As soon as she parked, Bonnie got out of the car and hurried up to the front door. Elena moved to follow her, but hesitated when Scarlett remained in her seat.

"Are you coming?" Scarlett shook her head.

"It's been a long day… And I want to say goodbye." Elena nodded sympathetically.

"I'm going to tell Bonnie everything. About Stefan, and vampires."

"Do me a favour? Tell her about me as well. It'll be easier if she's told everything at once." Elena nodded once more before shutting the car door and following Bonnie into the house. Scarlett waited until her friends were inside before pulling away from the curb and driving slowly back home. She parked her car in front of the Boarding House and walked inside, her feet instinctively making their way to Stefan's bedroom. As she pushed open the door, she saw her godfather throw one of his diaries across the room. He turned when he heard her enter, his eyes swimming with unshed tears.

"You promised you wouldn't leave me," Scarlett whispered, her voice barely breaking the silence. In an instant Stefan was in front of her, pulling her tightly into his arms. Scarlett let all of the repressed emotions of the day flood through her as sobs wracked her body. Stefan didn't say a word, he just held her as she cried, hot tears soaking his shirt as his own tears trickled down his face. Scarlett's legs eventually gave out and she sank to the floor, pulling Stefan with her. She cried until she couldn't cry anymore, and when she couldn't cry she closed her eyes and let sleep take her.

Stefan carefully lifted his goddaughter off the floor, cradling her in his arms just like he had when she was born, and carried her through the house to her bedroom. He placed her softly on her bed and covered her with a blanket before placing a kiss on her forehead. She was the only daughter he would ever know, and she was also his best friend. He couldn't imagine leaving her, but he had to. It was the only way he could be certain that Damon would leave, and Damon leaving was the only way Scarlett would be safe. Stefan took one last look at Scarlett's face, peaceful in sleep, before turning and walking from the room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

**A/N: So... Happy faces? Sad faces? I hope you all liked it. Comments, questions and constructive criticism are always welcome. I'll try and update soon.**

**Much love xx**


	10. The Turning Point

**A/N: Hello! First off, sorry for the late update. This chapter has been a pain to write, especially after the drama and angst of the last chapter. I hope you like it...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries or Damon (sadly) but I do own the lovely Scarlett, and she's pretty cool!**

* * *

Scarlett groaned as her alarm blared loudly, signalling that she had to get up and face another day. Her eyelids felt incredibly heavy, and she almost had to prise them open before squinting at the bright sunlight that filtered through her gauze curtains. Sitting up in bed, Scarlett rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands in an attempt to rid them of the vestiges of sleep. She glanced at her night stand without thinking and frowned. There, sat quite innocently on top of her copy of Shakespeare's Sonnets, lay a single pink peony and perched beside it was a small, white card. Scarlett didn't have to look to know who had put it there. Cautiously, she reached out and picked up the card, raising it to her eyes to read it.

_Thank you, D. _Scarlett turned the card over, but there was nothing else; just two words and an initial. A dull ache rose in her chest and she hastily put the card back on the night stand before climbing out of bed and walking into her bathroom. She let the hot water of the shower wash away the tears that had dried on her skin from the night before, closing her eyes and revelling in the quietness of the morning. No doubt she'd soon be sick of the quiet, once Stefan and Damon were gone…

Drying herself off, Scarlett quickly dressed in dark green jeans, a black long sleeve t-shirt and black knee high boots before pinning her hair into a messy bun. She grabbed her school bag and ambled down the stairs. School was one place she really didn't want to be today – no doubt she'd run in to Mr Saltzman, and Scarlett didn't think she'd be able to handle that conversation at the moment, considering how out of control her emotions were. As she walked towards the parlour, she heard the unmistakable sound of her godfather's voice.

"So, any idea of where you'll go?" Scarlett entered the room at the same time Stefan entered from the dining room. Damon was stood by the window, gazing out at the large garden.

"I dunno… London maybe. See some friends," Damon replied absently. Stefan glanced at Scarlett with a smile as he strolled towards her, but the redhead's face remained solemn as she watched the two brothers.

"You don't have any friends, Damon." At that, Damon turned from the window and faced Scarlett, a smirk curving his lips, but when Scarlett met his gaze all she saw in his pale blue eyes was emptiness.

"Scarlett's my friend, aren't you Scar?" The empath shrugged noncommittally, ignoring the butterflies that had sprung to life in her stomach. Damon raised an eyebrow at her action before turning to Stefan. "And I also have you, Stefan. So where are we going?" Stefan stopped by his goddaughter's side, trying to ignore the tension in her posture, and turned to face his smiling brother.

"_We_ are not going anywhere. I'm gonna live my life as far away from you as possible." As Stefan spoke, Damon slowly made his way across the room, his eyes never leaving Scarlett's face. It didn't look like she had slept very well; there were lilac shadows under her eyes and her already fair skin looked deathly pale in the sunlight.

"But we're a team. We could travel the world together – we could try out for the Amazing Race." Scarlett rolled her eyes at Damon's comment as he threw her a quick smile. A slight headache was beginning to form, and she reached up to gently rub her temple.

"Mmm… That's funny," Stefan said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Seriously, where are you going? Cos we're not staying in this town." Before Damon could answer, the doorbell rang causing Scarlett to frown. No one ever rang their doorbell; usually people just walked right in. She saw Damon and Stefan exchanged glances out of the corner of her eyes as she quickly made her way to the front door and pulled it open.

"Sheriff Forbes, how are you?" Caroline's mum smiled at Scarlett.

"I'm good thanks, Scarlett. I'm actually here to see Damon Salvatore – is he in?" Scarlett could already hear footsteps approaching from behind.

"Uh, yeah sure…" Scarlett glanced to her side as Damon appeared beside her, his hand settling on the small of her back.

"Sheriff, what a surprise," Damon said warmly. The sheriff glanced nervously at Scarlett before speaking.

"I'm sorry to bother you but… we need to talk." Damon hesitated for a moment, throwing a quick glance at Scarlett before nodding and dropping his hand to his side.

"Come in," he said, ushering the sheriff into the house. The three of them made their way into the parlour where Stefan was standing, his eyebrows drawn together in a slight frown. "Why don't we talk in the garden," Damon said brightly before leading Sheriff Forbes out onto the large terrace behind the house, shutting the door firmly behind him. "I hope you understand the secrecy; Stefan and Scarlett don't know about this yet and I'd like to keep it that way." The sheriff nodded in understanding.

"Of course. Technically, Scarlett is supposed to be a member of the Council, as the only surviving Williams family member, but she's not eighteen… Kids are too young to be brought into this."

"So, what do you need?" Damon asked with a smile as the two of them came to a halt a few yards away from the house. The sheriff turned to him, and Damon could see the desperation in her eyes.

"There's been another attack," she said bluntly, causing Damon's smile to falter. "A female victim; her throat torn out, completely drained of blood… It fits the pattern.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand. I thought we solved that problem when I staked the blonde one," Damon queried softly, glancing over his shoulder at the house. He could see Scarlett glaring at him from inside the house and was certain that Stefan was relaying every word of this conversation to the empath.

"We're thinking she must have turned someone," Sheriff Forbes explained. "Or multiple someone's, I dunno. The story for the town is another animal attack, but I'm not sure how long we can keep lying to them. The Council's in an uproar – we thought we were past this." Damon nodded his head slowly, his brain whirling with possible solutions to this new problem. One thing was for sure; there was no way he or Stefan would be leaving if there was another vampire loose in Mystic Falls. Stefan wouldn't leave Elena or Scarlett in danger, and Damon had the strangest urge to protect the redhead, which meant this new vampire had to die.

"So, uh, what do we do?" Damon asked, keen to find out if the sheriff had any plans for tackling the problem. The sheriff looked him straight in the eyes.

"You're the only one who's ever taken on a vampire; we were hoping you could tell us." After a few more minutes, Damon and the sheriff went back into the house. The vampire's eyes quickly took in Stefan sat silently on the sofa and Scarlett sitting at the piano, her fingers trailing idly over the keys. Damon calmly escorted Sheriff Forbes to the door.

"Thank you for stopping by," he told her as he opened the front door.

"Let me know what you come up with," she replied with a smile which Damon returned.

"Absolutely." As soon as he shut the door, Damon found himself pressed up against it, Stefan gripping the front of his shirt tightly as he glared into his brother's eyes. Scarlett didn't even blink as the two vampires stared each other down.

"What is wrong with you; you killed somebody?" Stefan asked incredulously. Damon forced Stefan to let go of his shirt and take a step back before pushing away from the door. His blue eyes glanced towards Scarlett who had turned to face them, one eyebrow raised in question.

"Get off me. A, don't touch me," Damon said firmly as he brushed past his brother and strolled back into the parlour. "B, if I had I wouldn't have been so obvious about it. C, there's another vampire in town." Stefan gazed at his brother in disbelief.

"That's impossible," he said quietly. Damon smirked at his brother's naivety.

"Obviously not," he said sarcastically.

"Who could it be?" Scarlett asked as she stood up and moved to where the brothers were standing, her schoolbag slung over one shoulder. Her fingers were nervously toying with the vervain filled locket around her neck, so Damon reached up to take her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. He didn't miss the frown that flickered on Stefan's face at the action.

"What do we care?" Damon asked with a sigh as his thumb brushed lazily over the back of Scarlett's hand. "We're leaving anyway, right?" Stefan's eyes quickly met Scarlett's before he gazed at the back of his brother's head.

"No, I can't leave now and you know that," he said firmly. "How are we supposed to find this person?" Damon smirked as he glanced over his should at Stefan.

"Let me handle this, Stefan," he said calmly. Damon tugged gently on Scarlett's hand to draw her attention back to him. "Fancy taking some time off school to go and hunt vampires?" he asked, flashing her a charming half smile. Scarlett shrugged one shoulder.

"Sure. I don't really feel like facing my possible biological father today, and it's not like I need an education," she said, her voice laced with sarcasm. Damon felt a genuine smile tug at his lips as he led her out of the house, his hand still entwined in hers. Scarlett started to walk to her car but Damon pulled her back. She turned to him with a frown and he shook his head slightly.

"We're not taking a car," he said quietly. "I thought we could use more… traditional methods." Scarlett raised one delicate eyebrow before taking a step closer to him.

"Fine – how do you want to do this?" she asked. Damon thought about it for a moment before letting go of her hand and wrapping his arm tightly around her waist, pulling her delicate frame firmly against his body. The top of her head barely reached his nose, and the smell of jasmine wafted towards him on the breeze. Scarlett kept her expression resolutely bored, blocking her mind off form everything but her own feelings. She closed her eyes, knowing that she'd end up being sick if she kept them open while they were moving at such high speeds.

Damon was transfixed by Scarlett's face, her pale skin glowing gently while the sunlight set fire to her hair. The confusion she caused him was getting stronger by the minute. Everything about her called to him, and he was almost certain that she had feelings for him too. But for once in his life, he didn't want to toy with those feelings. The sooner he found and killed this new vampire and left Mystic Falls, the better things would be for Scarlett.

Damon's grip on Scarlett tightened ever so slightly before he took off into the forest at vampire speed, all of his senses on high alert in order to track the mystery vampire. He took Scarlett all over Mystic Falls, everywhere he thought they could possibly find a lead before finally stopping behind some old warehouses. Scarlett stumbled away from Damon and bent at the waist, taking a deep, steadying breath.

"I will never get used to travelling like that," she mumbled and Damon smiled as he gently rubbed the small of her back, feeling her tense under his touch. Scarlett immediately stood straight and moved away from him, staring determinedly up at the warehouse next to them. "So he's here then?" she asked, avoiding Damon's gaze. The dark haired vampire frowned at Scarlett's odd behaviour, but didn't have time to ponder it. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the strange gold compass he'd taken off of Logan Fell's body not so long ago.

"I'm not sure, which is why you're going to use this." He placed the compass in Scarlett's hand and she flipped it open, watching as the arrow spun in every direction. "You stay here and let me know what happens," Damon said before speeding off before Scarlett could reply. The empath huffed in frustration.

"And how am I supposed to do that?" she said out loud, even though she knew he wouldn't be able to hear her. Just then, her phone started to vibrate in her pocket, and when Scarlett pulled it out she saw Damon's name flashing on the caller ID. Hitting the answer key, she raised the phone to her ear. "You could have given me some warning before leaving me alone with a hungry vampire on the loose."

"Keep your panties on, Scar. It's not like he can get you while the sun's up." Scarlett could practically hear Damon smirking, and her eyes narrowed dangerously, blue eyes flashing.

"That's beside the point. At least with you here I know I'm not going to get eaten," the redhead said, her gaze never leaving the compass as it started to slow down, flicking in different directions before finally coming to a standstill, the arrow pointing straight at the warehouse in front of her.

"Are you sure about that?" Scarlett shivered at the suggestion in Damon's voice, suddenly very glad that he wasn't near enough to see her reaction.

"The arrow's stopped," she said, choosing to ignore Damon's comment. "What do you want me to do now?"

"Wait there, I'll be right back."

"Can you hurry up? This place is creeping me out," Scarlett said as she slowly crept towards the warehouse door, reaching out with her mind to try and sense the rogue vampire.

"I wouldn't go in there if I were you," Damon's voice came from behind her, causing Scarlett to gasp and spin quickly to face him. She hadn't realised how close he was and suddenly Scarlett was pressed up against Damon's chest, her eyes flying to his to find him gazing down at her, his pale eyes burning with an emotion Scarlett had never seen before. The redhead quickly glanced away, tucking a flyaway strand of hair behind her ear to try and hide the blush that had risen in her cheeks.

"Well, without you here the compass worked pretty well," Scarlett told the dark haired vampire at her side. "Apparently what, or should I say who, we're looking for is in there." Damon nodded as he took the compass from Scarlett's hand and returned it to his pocket.

"Do you sense anything from inside?" Scarlett's eyebrows drew together and she closed her eyes, letting the barriers around her mind relax. She could feel Damon's emotions reaching out to her, but she quickly blocked them off; she didn't even want to think about how the vampire was feeling, let alone feel his emotions herself. After a moment of silence, she opened her eyes and locked eyes with Damon.

"He's angry. Very, very angry. And confused." Damon nodded as he began to stroll towards the door. Scarlett hurried to catch up with him but before he reached the door, Damon turned, causing Scarlett to bump into him once again.

"Where do you think you're going?" the vampire asked as he smirked down at Scarlett.

"With you," she replied simply, moving to walk past him. Damon took her arm in a tight grip and pushed her away from the door.

"Oh no you don't. Stefan already wants to kill me; I don't need to give him another reason. Go to school or go home." Scarlett glared up at him.

"You can't go in there alone," she began, but Damon cut her off.

"I am more than capable of taking care of a newbie vampire without the help of a hormonal teenage girl, so please – leave." Scarlett's jaw dropped at his words and she had to repress the urge to slap him. Now was neither the time nor the place.

"I'm not leaving, Damon," she said firmly. Damon let out a frustrated sigh as he rolled his eyes at the determination he saw in Scarlett's face.

"Fine, but you're not going in there," he told her. Just as Scarlett was about to argue, Damon pressed a finger against her lips, effectively silencing her. "Listen to me very carefully. I don't know what I'm going to be facing in there. What I do know is that you are safe if you stay out here in the sunlight. So please, Scar, wait here." Damon's icy blue eyes stared intently into Scarlett's, searching for any sign of rebellion, but after a moment her shoulders slumped and she nodded once in submission. Closing his eyes, Damon leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers, relief flooding through him. "Thank you," he murmured, before turning and walking to the door of the warehouse, breaking the lock and entering, leaving Scarlett to wait impatiently outside.

As soon as the door closed behind Damon, Scarlett began to pace restlessly in the shadow of the warehouse. Cautiously, she opened her mind until she could feel Damon's consciousness brushing against her own. He seemed fairly calm, which reassured her a great deal. A minute later, gunshots rang out from inside the warehouse, and Scarlett felt a crippling pain radiating throughout her body. One word overtook her thoughts - Damon.

Scarlett didn't think as she scrambled up the stairs and opened the door, running into the darkened warehouse. Her pace slowed as her eyes grew accustomed to the dim light and her wide-eyed gaze flew around the room, searching for the eldest Salvatore. As she rounded a corner, she finally saw him collapsed on the floor, blood pouring from where he'd been hit by multiple bullets.

"Damon." The vampire's gaze flew to Scarlett's as he heard her whisper his name, and for the first time since they had met, Scarlett saw them fill with panic.

"Scar, run!" he shouted, trying to drag himself towards her. Scarlett did run, she ran towards him, but before she could reach him something hit the side of her head and everything went black.

Damon growled as Scarlett slumped to the floor beside him, unconscious. Logan Fell stepped out of the shadows behind Scarlett, his eyes fixing on the trickle of blood that had blossomed at the redhead's temple.

"God, I'm hungry," he murmured, taking a step towards the unconscious empath. Damon snarled and tried to launch himself at the other vampire, but Logan turned the gun on him and fired once more, a wooden bullet lodging itself in Damon's thigh, causing the raven haired vampire to gasp in pain and collapse back on the floor. "I also have tonnes of these wooden bullets, so… nothing funky."

"Just let her go. You don't wanna do this; trust me," Damon said as he tried to prise a bullet out of his shoulder. Another shot rang out and Damon cried out in agony as yet another bullet ripped through the flesh of his arm.

"That's what you get," Logan said almost cheerily, a slight smirk curving his lips. Damon's eyebrows lowered in confusion as he stared up at the man who had repeatedly shot him.

"For what?" he asked uncomprehendingly. Logan bent down, leaning his hands on his knees as he glared at Damon.

"You made me like this."

"I killed you, I didn't turn you," Damon grunted as he managed to dig one of the bullets out of his chest. He glanced at it before flicking it away, his gaze travelling to Scarlett who was still unconscious. Damon could hear the steady beat of her heart and her even breathing, letting him know that she wasn't in immediate danger, but blood was still dripping from the wound at her temple. He knew that he had to keep Logan's attention focused on him to keep Scarlett safe, so he quickly turned his attention back to the new vampire.

"I know what you and your brother are," Logan explained as he twirled a blood soaked wooden bullet between his fingers. "I've been watching the two of you; I knew you'd show up here, although I didn't think you'd bring little Scarlett Williams. But I'm glad you did, because I have some questions."

"Me first," Damon gasped as he dragged another bullet out of his body. "Who turned you?" Logan straightened, his eyes darkening in anger.

"How should I know?" he yelled. "Last thing I remember is I'm about to stake your brother and then you grab me. That's it! Until I wake up in the ground behind a used car dealership on highway four. Somebody buried me…"

"It happens," Damon replied sarcastically, hissing as another bullet came free, this one from his thigh. Logan crouched down, his face inches away from Damon's own.

"You bit me. It had to be you," he accused.

"You have to have vampire blood in your system when you die; I didn't do that," Damon explained harshly. "Some other vampire found you, gave you their blood." He fell back onto the floor, exhausted and drained. He could hear Scarlett's heartbeat speeding up – she'd be awake soon.

"Who?" Logan asked.

"That's what I wanna know." Logan growled in frustration.

"Dude, it's not like the welcome wagon was waiting with a bunk cake and a handbook; it's been as learn as you go process," the new vampire fumed. "You know, one minute I'm a small town, on the rise news guy, and the next thing I know, I can't get into my house because my foot won't go through the door."

"You have to be invited in," Damon said as he attempted to pull another bullet out of his arm.

"I know. I live alone," Logan replied. Damon couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him at the vampire's words.

"Oh, that sucks."

"So now I'm at the Ramada, watching pay per view all day, eating everything in sight, including housekeeping." Damon scoffed derisively.

"Hey, it could be worse," he said quietly.

"All I can think about it blood, and killing people. I can't stop killing people, I keep killing," Logan said, his eyes wide and mad as he waved his gun around in the air. "And I like it. I'm conflicted." Damon's eyed flickered to Scarlett as he heard her breathing hitch slightly. Logan was too busy rambling to pay attention to the redhead who was slowly beginning to stir.

"Welcome to the club," Damon said mockingly as he tried to ignore Scarlett's harsh breathing and the renewed dripping of her blood onto the concrete floor. His eyebrows drew together in confusion as he processed what Logan had said. "Wait a minute… The cops only found one body."

"I left one, I was tired," Logan said casually. "But I've been hiding the rest of the bodies; they're right back there." He gestured towards some kind of cage set further back in the room.

"You're kidding me…"

"They're just piling up," Logan said gleefully as Damon stared at the pile of twisted, mutilated corpses stacked inside the cage, his eyes widening in disgust. A soft groan to his left drew Damon's attention back to Scarlett, and he watched as her eyes fluttered open. Scarlett's head was pounding as she lay on the cool concrete floor. As her vision cleared, her gaze was caught by a pair of crystal blue eyes; eyes that she recognised.

"Damon," she whispered, her voice barely breaking the silence. Damon tried to smile reassuringly at her, but he was in so much pain that it came out more as a grimace.

"Finally, you're awake." Scarlett's eyes flashed towards the new voice, and upon seeing Logan Fell, she tried to push herself into a standing position only to fall back against the floor, her vision swimming. "Don't worry, Miss Williams. You won't be going anywhere for a while," Logan said as he took a seat next to her. Scarlett tried to shuffle away from him, but his hand on her back made her freeze in place. Damon growled threateningly, but Logan simply smiled in response and began to gently stroke Scarlett's back. "Why am I so overly emotional?" he question the older vampire. "All I can think about is my ex-girlfriend. I wanna… be with her and bite her and stuff." Damon's gaze never left Scarlett has he replied.

"Well you probably love her. Anything you felt before will be magnified now. You're gonna have to learn how to control that." Scarlett closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing, trying to ignore the fact that Logan was repeatedly stroking her, almost as though she were a cat.

"What about walking in the sun?" Logan asked, causing Damon to subtly glance down at his ring. "I'm a morning person. You can walk in the sun which, by the way, is pretty cool. The council would never suspect you; that's not in the journals."

"The journals?" Damon questioned, focusing on the new information Logan had given him rather than answering the new vampire's own question. He needed to distract Logan long enough to think of a plan to get Scarlett safely away from him.

"Yeah, the Founding Fathers, they passed down journals to their kids. Come on man, you gotta tell me. How can you walk around in the sun?" Logan stopped stroking Scarlett, his hand hovering above her head.

"Who turned you?" Damon asked again, once again ignoring Logan's question. The new vampire's face darkened in anger.

"How do you walk in the sun?" he repeated. Scarlett felt his hand grasp the back of her neck and her eyes flashed open in fear, her dark blue gaze meeting Damon's. She could feel Logan's agitation, but her mind was too unfocused to try and use her empathic abilities to calm him down.

"Who turned you?" Damon wasn't going to let the question go. Logan's eyes narrowed in a glare.

"You know, I've been really nice so far," he said, forcing his voice to remain calm as he stood up, dragging Scarlett with him. The redhead groaned as her vision swam again and she stumbled slightly, falling against Logan's side. "But I will kill her unless you answer my question." Damon smirked slightly at his threat even though his nerves were drawn as tight as a bow string.

"Kill her and you'll never know," he said scathingly as he pushed himself into a standing position. Logan raised his gun, pointing it directly at Damon's chest, but Damon didn't back down. "You're not answering my question."

"You first," Logan insisted. Scarlett's eyes flickered between the two vampires as she took slow, deep breaths in an attempt to stop herself from passing out.

"Seems that we're at a bit of an impasse then, doesn't it?" Damon said as he glared at Logan. The new vampire smirked slightly as he glanced down at Scarlett.

"I have things to do; people to kill." Damon and Scarlett exchanged worried glances at Logan's words. "I guess I'll be needing a little bit of a head start." Without further warning, Logan fired the gun, offloading several wooden bullets into Damon's body. Damon collapsed to the floor, groaning in pain.

"No!" Scarlett shrieked as she launched herself towards him, but Logan pulled her back. He caught her chin in his hand and forced her to look up at him, his fingers digging into her skin as a sick smile twisted his mouth.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked menacingly. Scarlett watched as his eyes dilated and quickly realised that he was trying to compel her. She forced herself to relax, letting him think that it was working. "Don't help him, and don't leave. I might want a snack when I get back."

"I won't," Scarlett replied, her voice devoid of emotion. Logan smiled at his accomplishment before turning and stalking out of the room. Scarlett didn't move, didn't breathe until she had counted to sixty in her head then, when she was sure that Logan was gone, she flew towards Damon, falling on her knees at his side. Her hands hovered over his body, unsure of how she could help him. "Damon, tell me what to do," she said urgently. Damon gritted his teeth against the pain as his eyes took in Scarlett's pale, blood stained face.

"You need to get the bullets out," he told her quietly, his hands clenching at his sides.

"How?"

"Use your fingers. Just get them out, Scar. I can't heal until they're out." Scarlett jerked her head in agreement and Damon watched as her jaw tensed in determination. His shirt was already ripped and bloody, so Scarlett quickly tore what was left of it off, holding back a gasp at the sight of dozens of bullet holes marring Damon's perfect skin. Taking a deep breath through her nose, Scarlett picked a wound and carefully eased her finger inside, feeling around for the bullet.

Damon's eyes never left the empath's face as she set to work prising each bullet from his torso. He should have been writhing in agony, yet for some reason he felt incredibly calm. Scarlett's fingers were cool against his skin, and as she worked she murmured quiet words of comfort and support to him.

"What are you doing?" Damon asked, his brows drawing together in a frown. Scarlett glanced away from his chest to meet his gaze, her fingers stilling.

"Getting the bullets out. I'm not hurting you, am I?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.

"No. In fact, I've never felt more relaxed…" Scarlett returned her attention to removing the bullets from Damon's chest.

"So it's working then. Good." She pulled the last bullet from his shoulder and tossed it on the pile with the others before wiping her bloody hands on the tattered remains of Damon's shirt. The vampire gingerly sat up, looking down to inspect the redhead's work.

"What do you mean? What worked?" he asked as he watched the bullet holes slowly begin to close over.

"It's just something I wanted to try; emotional transference. I wasn't sure it would work because my powers have been off for a couple of days, but I'm glad it did," Scarlett explained, throwing Damon a nervous smile. Giving a quick nod, Damon tried to stand up but his legs gave out and he quickly collapsed back to the ground.

"Damnit." Scarlett took one look and Damon and knew exactly what she needed to do.

"Let me help you," she said quietly, inching closer to him. Breathing heavily, Damon raised his pain filled gaze to the empath's. She gave him a soft smile before tugging up the sleeve of her shirt and holding her wrist out to him. Damon shook his head in protest but Scarlett wasn't having it. "Damon, you have to. Let me do this."

"I don't know if I'd be able to stop, Scar," the vampire whispered, his gaze boring into her dark blue eyes. She didn't even flinch at his words, didn't hesitate to answer.

"I trust you." Her gaze was firm as she held her wrist up to his mouth. Damon carefully took hold of her hand, holding her stare as he felt his fangs elongate and the veins under his eyes protrude. Scarlett smiled reassuringly at him and watched curiously as he gently bit down on the inside of her wrist. There was the oddest pulling sensation as Damon started to drink. It was uncomfortable, but it wasn't painful.

Damon closed his eyes as Scarlett's sweet blood filled his mouth, and he couldn't stop the groan of ecstasy from escaping. Her blood really did taste like heaven; he could already feel his strength returning, and he'd only had a couple of mouthfuls. After a final gulp, Damon pulled back and opened his eyes. Scarlett was watching him, an unreadable expression on her face.

"Better?" she asked, the barest hint of a smile curling her lips. Ignoring her question, Damon quickly got to his feet pulling Scarlett with him.

"I need a new shirt, and you need clean clothes," he said as he pulled Scarlett from the warehouse. The redhead glanced down at her blood stained trousers as she hurried to keep up with Damon.

"Clothes can wait; we need to stop Logan," she argued. Once again, Damon ignored her, pulling her tightly against his body and wrapping an arm around her waist.

"I'll get my baby brother to deal with him, we're going home." Before Scarlett could so much as open her mouth to protest, Damon took off at vampire speed, trees flashing past them at a dizzying rate. In a matter of seconds, they were stood in the entrance hall of the Boarding House. Damon swiftly let go of Scarlett and stalked up to his bedroom, leaving the redhead alone and confused. Once in his room, Damon shut the door and pulled his phone from the pocket of his jeans. He flipped it open and hit the speed dial for Stefan, waiting impatiently for his brother to answer his call.

"Damon?" Stefan's voice sounded worried as he finally picked up.

"Logan Fell's a vampire," Damon told him without preamble. "And when I find him again, I am going to destroy him limb by limb." Walking over to his closet, Damon dragged out a shirt and stormed over to the mirror in the corner, carefully examining his body to see if his wounds had fully healed.

"What happened? Are you and Scarlett okay?" Stefan asked.

"No, I'm not okay," Damon hissed in reply as he tried to pull a new shirt on single handed. "I was ambushed, I was shot, and then I had to sit and watch Scarlett get knocked out and I couldn't do a damn thing to stop it. Now I'm vengeful."

"But Scarlett's okay, right?" Damon rolled his eyes slightly at the paternal tone to Stefan's voice.

"A bump to the head, she'll be fine. But we've got to find Logan."

"No need, he's here at the school."

"You're kidding?" Damon scoffed. "Why the hell is he there?" The door to Damon's bedroom opened and the vampire glanced up to see Scarlett leaning against the frame wearing new clothes. She had a bandage wrapped around her wrist and her blue eyes were dark with worry.

"He's at the school?" she mouthed, prompting Damon to nod at her in confirmation as he tried to do up the buttons of his shirt. Without thinking, Scarlett walked up to Damon and quickly took over buttoning his shirt, her delicate eyebrows drawn together in a frown.

"He's working the crowd." Stefan's voice pulled Damon's focus away from Scarlett and he mentally shook himself as he tried to sort out his priorities in his mind.

"Well I'll be right there," he told his younger brother before hanging up his phone. Scarlett finished with the last button and looked up to meet Damon's gaze.

"I'm coming with you," she said determinedly, but Damon shook his head.

"You've gotten into enough trouble for one day, Scar. Don't make me lock you in the basement." Scarlett was about to argue with him when she picked up on a powerful emotion radiating from the vampire in front of her. It felt like… protectiveness. Damon wanted to keep her safe. Ignoring the butterflies that had erupted in her stomach, Scarlett took a step back and folded her arms over her chest.

"Stay safe," she said quietly, causing Damon to frown at her.

"You'll stay here? No arguments?" he asked, perplexed.

"No arguments," the empath confirmed. "Just, stay safe." Damon hesitated for a moment before leaning forward and placing a tender kiss against Scarlett's temple before speeding from the room. Alone in Damon's room, Scarlett decided to try and distract herself so that she wouldn't worry about him and Stefan. The redhead had never seen the inside of the elder Salvatore brother's room, and since she was all alone in the house, now seemed like the perfect opportunity to explore.

Damon's room was much larger than she had anticipated, and seemed to be almost empty of anything but functional furniture. There was a bed, a dresser and a night stand, but apart from that the room was, for lack of a better word, Spartan. Moving towards the bed, Scarlett perched on the edge and picked up the open book on the night stand; _Dracula_ by Bram Stoker. The redhead's lips turned up in a smile at the irony. Making herself comfortable against the headboard, Scarlett began to read, her gaze flying across the pages.

Time passed quickly, and after a while the empath heard a car pull up outside the house. Placing Damon's book back where she'd found it, Scarlett hopped off the bed and ambled to the window to see who it was. However she quickly turned away when she caught sight of Elena and her godfather in a passionate embrace. The redhead heard the front door open and decided to stay hidden in Damon's room for a while longer. A few moments later footsteps passed outside of Damon's room and Scarlett felt a rush of lust and love sweep through her body. Closing her eyes she forced the emotions away, hastily erecting the barriers around her mind as she hurried down to the kitchen which just so happened to be as far away from Stefan's room as the redhead could get without leaving the house.

Scarlett decided to wait up until Damon got home – they had a lot to talk about. Her head was in a spin. She had given up trying to deny the fact that she had feelings for the vampire. After the kiss they'd shared, it was quite obvious that she liked him a lot more than she should. But that didn't change the fact that he was leaving. Or that he was trying to get Katherine, the girl he'd been in love with for over a century, out of a tomb. The empath was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn't even register the fact that Stefan had walked into the kitchen wearing nothing but a pair of pyjama pants.

"You okay, Scarlett?" She blinked rapidly to focus and smiled up at her godfather.

"Not as good as you, I imagine," Scarlett replied teasingly, laughing at the bashful grin that spread across her godfather's face.

"We didn't bother you, did we?" he asked sheepishly.

"Not at all. Just keep it down, I'm going to bed." As she walked past Stefan, Scarlett bumped him with her him. "Go get her, tiger," she joked before skipping out of the room. Scarlett kept her gaze on the floor, a small smile on her face as she walked towards the stairs. Looking up, her eyes widened as she watched Elena scrambling down the stairs, tears streaming from her dark brown eyes. Scarlett hurried towards her friend, her face full of concern. As she opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, the brunette shook her head, placing a finger against her lips to signal Scarlett to be silent.

"Drive me home?" Elena mouthed, and Scarlett nodded in response before ushering her friend out of the house. She quickly led the brunette to her 4x4, jumping into the driver's seat and starting the ignition as Elena scrambled in beside her.

"Elena, what happened?" Scarlett asked quietly as she pulled away from the house and turned on to the main road.

"Did you know?" Elena asked, her voice harsh as tears continued to tumble down her cheeks.

"Know what?" Scarlett replied as she kept her gaze on the road.

"Did you know that I look like her?" Scarlett let out a frustrated sigh at Elena's question.

"Look like who? Elena, what are you talking about?"

"Katherine! Did you know I look like Katherine?" Elena finally exclaimed. Scarlett felt the blood drain from her face at her friend's words.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice shaking. It wasn't possible. There was no way Stefan, her godfather, would keep something like this from her.

"I mean there's a picture of Katherine in Stefan's bedroom and I look exactly like her. Like I'm a twin or something," Elena explained between sobs. Scarlett's heart was pounding in her ears as she drove down a darkened, foggy stretch of road outside of town.

"That's impossible," she murmured. "There's no way…" Scarlett trailed off as a figure took shape in the middle of the road. She heard Elena gasp beside her as the empath slammed her foot on the brakes, but not in time. Scarlett screamed as her car ploughed into the figure before somersaulting along the road and landing on its roof. Everything was silent. Scarlett opened her eyes and groaned in pain as her seatbelt cut into her chest, suspending her upside-down. Turning to her right, she gasped as she saw the bloody gash across Elena's forehead.

"Elena," Scarlett murmured, her voice breaking slightly as she tried to breathe properly. The brunette didn't move as blood dripped down from her head and pooled on the roof of the car. Scarlett slowly reached out to press her fingers against her friend's neck, checking for a pulse. She was rewarded with the feel of a steady throbbing against her fingertips and sighed in relief.

A cracking sound drew Scarlett's attention back to the crumpled body in the road. The empath watched in horror as the figure slowly started to uncurl, its limbs snapping back into place. Scarlett felt her heartbeat spike as she struggled to free herself from the seatbelt. Her terrified gaze didn't leave the figure, which she now knew could only be a vampire, as it stood up and began to stride towards the overturned car where she and her best friend lay helpless. As the vampire stopped mere feet from the car, Scarlett let out a final, petrified scream before closing her eyes and preparing for the worst.

* * *

**Not the best ending, I know. Not the best chapter, to be honest, but the next chapter will be so much better! Reviews, ideas and comments are so very welcome. **

**Ps:- the piano piece that Scarlett played in the last chapter was 'Moonlight Sonata, Movement 1' by Beethoven. Really moody and beautiful, have a listen. Also, if you guys have any song suggestions that you think would suit Darlett (as my favourite couple has been called) please let me know! **

**Much love xx **


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